


The Fountain of Salmacis

by moonoverwings



Category: Assassin's Creed, Assassin's Creed Unity
Genre: AC Unity - Freeform, Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Angst, Assassin's Creed: Unity, Assassins, Axe with a Yorkshire Accent, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, French Revolution, Gen, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Lots of IceCream and GreenCoat lovin, M/M, Multi, No Relation to Unity's Plot, Other, Secret Relationship, Sexual Content, Written Before Unity Cannon Was Known, historical events
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-29
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2018-02-17 06:58:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 45
Words: 355,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2300621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonoverwings/pseuds/moonoverwings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joining the group of Assassins wasn't easy for the young Arno Dorian. The Assassins known only as “Axe Man” and “Ice Cream” welcomed him with open arms. However, the one named “Green Coat” was much less than welcoming to say the least. And in the midst of a bloody revolution, the Assassins must deal with a secret that threatens to tear their group apart...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome to the Brotherhood

**Author's Note:**

> There have been a wide range of diverse characters in the world of Assassin's Creed, which has included homosexual, transgendered, mixed race, and ethnic minority characters, both in-game and online in Initiates.
> 
> The following fan fiction was created to explore the idea and historical possibility of an intersex Assassin Character against the back drop of the French Revolution in the 18th Century. Intersex individuals have always been part of society and 1700s Paris was no exception. 
> 
> During the French Revolution, there was thought to be around three hundred Assassins whom either worked together or alone, according to some historians. These Assassins were not born, but were the product of the Revolution. Many of them were farmers, bankers, stable hands, wig makers, blacksmiths, wives, etc, whom turned into Assassins due to the pressure of starvation, persecution and revolution. 
> 
> Even though this is a fan work of fiction set in the universe of Assassin's Creed Unity, both authors aim to be as true to actual historical accounts where possible.
> 
> THIS FAN FICTION IS RATED E FOR EXPLICIT DUE TO STRONG SEXUAL CONTENT IN SOME CHAPTERS. Each Chapter that contains adult sexual content is branded with an (E) in the title.
> 
> Many Thanks to Julie Ward Howe for the inspiration on the intersex character.
> 
> Notes on Characterization: The main four Assassin Characters appearances are based on those shown in the Cinematic AC Unity trailer and later from the promotional posters. At time of writing, AC Unity cannon is unknown. Both authors have used a wide range of popular character lore and references, such as names, to help direct readers in the story. The authors have also interjected their own interpretation of the characters for dramatic effect.
> 
> MAY CONTAIN AC UNITY SPOILERS DUE TO HISTORICAL REFERENCING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.
> 
> Further Reading:  
> For more information on the French Revolution:  
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolution
> 
> Informative BBC Documentary on Intersex: http://youtu.be/3_GO5Fcl7e8
> 
> Trailer for Assassin's Creed Unity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzCEdSKMkdU
> 
> Story Written by Wings  
> Art (TBC) and Story Editing by Moon (aka altmaltotheface)

~  
  
“Arno, I'd like to introduce you to the others.”  
  
The eager looking twenty-one year old climbed the last step of the creaking staircase in the old apartment building and looked over to where the large Axe-Holding-Assassin was pointing. Arno squinted slightly as he entered into the damp smelling and semi darkened room of the Assassin's make-shift HQ. Smoke from the solitary lamp in the middle of the room casting long shadows up and across the walls as he was lead inside. The room was obviously some form of living room, a hearth to his left and a couple of sofas to his right. Boxes, crates and all manner of pieces of furniture were dotted around the edges of the room. A pile of tin buckets caught his eye off to the side.

Arno coughed as he stepped inside further, his boots treading across the floorboards as they heaved under neither him.  
  
“This is our Logistics Expert and Master Lock Picker; Ice Cream,” his host indicated, as a lightly coated and slim Assassin walked over to them, reaching out a gloved hand. He smiled, shaking the young man's hand firmly.  
   
"Enchantée de faire votre connaissance."  
  
“De même,”  Arno responded, returning the smile before adding, “... _Ice Cream_...that is a rather interesting name, if you don't mind me saying.”  
  
“Isn't it just?” the Assassin in question smirked knowingly, cocking a dark-brown, almost copper, eyebrow in agreement as the hand shake finished.  
  
“And...,” their leader continued, turning around, now indicating a figure far off in one of the corners of the dark room.

“The one over there, tinkering on the goods, is Green Coat; our Weapons and Technical specialist.”  
  
The Assassin in question was already watching them curiously from his seat at a small round table, before he inclined his head in acknowledgement from across the room. Arno watched as he began resuming his work on a small piece of intricate looking weaponry; his shoulder length black hair hid his face as he tended to small metal cogs and gears that were glinting briefly in the flickering candle light.  
  
 Arno felt a hand slap him heavily on the shoulder making him turn.  
  
“I go by the name of “Axe”, but ya already knew that. Now for La Grande Tour...”  
  
  The young man nodded, letting the older one guide him across the room.

Arno looked around him, noticing the worn and tired look to the place. Granted, he had not a clue what the head quarters of an Assassin's Bureau would look like, but if it was silk and expensive finery that he was expecting to see then he was to be sorely disappointed. The apartment looked like a battle had been fought not too long ago within it's walls, which... might have very well happened, Arno concluded, seeing a door frame with marks that looked suspiciously like bullet holes peppered across it.

"The room we were in serves as our meeting area, kitchen and living area," Axe said, waving his hand to the aforementioned room before adding "mind your step" as they entered a narrow corridor. Arno followed closely, stepping over a weak floor board, oddly dusty with the faint remnants of white powder.

"Room to the left is Ice Cream's and Green Coat's shared, but this door," he added, stopping in front of an oaken door with large letters inscribed in white chalk upon it.

"...is our humble Throne Room."

It took a moment of staring at the written words _"salle du trône"_ before Arno realized what "Throne Room" meant.

"Best keep it clean or Ice will have ya guts for garters."

Arno smirked as both men left the corridor and were back in the main area.  
  
“And this...,” Axe continued, pointing to a shabby looking bed in the other corner of the ever so damp room.

“Is your corner of the world; best view in the 'ouse.”

"And where, may I ask, do you sleep?"

"Right 'ere," the heavy set man said, slapping the top of a large and dark pink frilly sofa that was semi covered in belts and other heavy clothing. No doubt the original owner would be utterly appalled at the abuse the once delicate piece of furniture was currently under.

"Two to a room, that's how I like it. Makes it a bit more difficult to be surprised by intruders should any be unfortunate to grace these walls."  
  
Arno agreed as Axe moved away and towards the fire place, his very heavy looking boots thumping along the wooden floor as the twenty one year old turned and walked over to his own slightly sad and worn looking bed.

From the looks of the metal head railing and state of the mattress, his "new" bed had seen it's fair share of occupants. Juxtaposed to this on top of the bed was a neatly laid out clean looking set of two towels, a thick woolen blanket and a porcelain bowl. Arno picked up the bowl, turning it over in his hands, looking at the intricate blue patterns, the work of some very skilled oriental artist, perhaps. A number of birds with long tail feathers swirled around a central image of a handsome waterfall that was almost jet black-

"We keep the sheets in the wardrobe to your right and if you need clean water to drink..."  
  
Arno looked over his shoulder as the speaker continued.  
  
"...I tend to boil a pot every night and let it cool until the morning. If you need more provisions, do let me know."  
  
"Merci beaucoup, Ice Cream," Arno said lifting the bowl up in thanks.  
  
The taller man nodded, before he turned back to tending the pots in the fireplace which, from the strong scent of cooking herbs, were starting to smell delicious.  
  
"Cream's the one keeping this shit 'ole of a place from falling down," Axe whispered as he passed, moving a couple of miss matched stools over to the fire place. He nodded at the china bowl in Arno's hand.

"Don't smash that or he'll have a fit; a terrible temper our Ice Cream has-"  
  
"My ears are working perfectly fine, Axe."  
  
"I never said they weren't, Mother."  
  
Arno stifled a laugh, looking at the two teasing men, as he turned and gazed back down at his bed. He picked up his travel bag and placed it on the bed with a bounce, briefly looking up and out of the window next to it, seeing small puffs of solemn looking clouds above the dank streets of Paris.

Few people were out at this time of day; a couple of children with dirty faces were badgering a woman with an armful of linen, a small dog ran across the street and a man with a heavily looking cart trundled in the opposite direction. The combination of lamp light and setting sun threw just enough light into the room that he could see, as Arno took off his outer blue traveling coat.  
  
“ 'ould 'ave brought the orchestra out to serenade your arrival, but alas...” Axe said, thumbing a finger over to a large framed painting of a grand orchestra that was not only spectacularly ripped but was being used to prop open a side door.

“They are other wise engaged.”  
  
Axe once again thumped a large hand on Arno's back warmly.  
  
“Welcome to the Brotherhood of Assassins.”  
  
The young man smiled, saying his thanks as the other walked over to the seated tanned coated Assassin, asking what the date was (27th April, apparently) and how the dinner was coming along.  
  
Arno Dorian smiled.  
  
He had waited for this day to join up with the Assassins for quite a while and he couldn't believe that it had taken _this_ long to find them.

"1788...," Arno muttered as he returned to opening his bag, taking out a small diary, dated from a year ago, pages still obscenely blank in it's handsome leather bound casing. He had never been one for diaries although there were a few of his favorite passages from popular classic novels written inside for his own amusement. He passed his thumb over the golden cursive initials A.V.D. absentmindedly, before there was a cough from behind him.

Quickly Arno returned the journal back into his travel bag and followed Green Coat to the stools surrounding the fireplace, joining the others in eating the now freshly steaming meals.  
  
Arno had never intentionally planned to seek the Assassin organization out, in fact it was quite the opposite once upon a time, he mused as he took a seat on one of the stools. However, due to his personal circumstances, he found he had little choice _but_ to find them.

He had traveled from his native Versailles when word of revolution had broken out. Arno had scouted here and there, following rumors of supposed Assassins, but finally he had traced some of their movements to this current area of Paris's suburban underworld. Taking up a lodging in a very doubvious apartment block, he had searched, listened but discovered nothing. After a month or so, he had to admit defeat. The lead he had had gone cold. Rumblings of Assassins had stopped.

So...how to contact such a secret organization with absolutely nothing to go on? It seemed fate had heard his cries and had presented an amble opportunity, during one very drunken brawl not two weeks ago.  
  
Arno cast his mind back, as he took the warm plate that was offered to him.  
  
He had literally bumped into the Assassins while heavily drunk in a tavern, deep in the dark depths of Paris' seedy underworld. He had had one too many drinks, trying to, unsuccessfully, forget it was the ten year anniversary of his adoptive father's death, when someone from a rowdy group of thugs decided to make a sport out of him. He had recognized their ugly faces as those that kept the brothel nearby open. Not that he had ever frequented a brothel in his life, but having been accosted by these vile men earlier in the day, believing him to be a punter, was not a conversation he wanted to continue with them.

Arno had stared at his drink while they had shouted questions on his sexuality loudly and after a few malicious shoves to his back, Arno had snapped, swinging round to punch his attacker square in jaw, when a larger body got there first. A stocky bearded man with a heavy looking Axe strapped to his back, had caught the fist and through some clever language had convinced the ugly thugs that this pathetic looking drunk was not worth the time for a pasting.  
  
Later, outside side the tavern, the axe-carrying-man had tried to shake the younger, and still very drunken, other off whom annoyingly continued to follow him through the streets, yelling angrily that how dare a “boorish brute” like himself, had gotten involved.  
  
“ 'wshwrong with 'o!?” Arno had shouted, staggering down the dark and filthy smelling ally way, pointing an angry wondering finger at the man's back. He didn't even care by this point that his clothes were disheveled enough to mark him as a drunk for all to see.

“I could 'ave taken 'em all on!”    
  
  This "Axe Man" had fervently tried again and again to lose the man, but found he annoyingly couldn't.

When he had vaulted over a few fences, and sprinted down a couple of alley ways, then did the "Axe Man" feel he had succeeded. Only to wake the next morning to find the very same drunk, passed out outside the door of his apartment. It was only then, after the larger man had unceremoniously dumped the entire content of his basin water over the boy, did Axe realize just how good the younger man's tracking of him had been.

And this was while highly inebriated.  
  
He would explain as such that very same morning to a more sobered up, highly embarrassed and apologetically wet Arno Dorian.

Arno felt his mouth watering as a hunk of steaming and heavenly smelling boiled meat was put onto his plate, the last time he had eaten something solid escaping his mind. He thanked the bearded man next to him and began to tuck in. Arno was grateful it was Axe whom he had met first. Not that meeting the other two would have not been welcoming but out of all three of them he was the most welcoming. Also the man was something akin to a bear visually. His arms alone looked like they could crush a man in two for one thing and his bulk probably meant he was the driving force for any direct assault, if the Axe that seemed permanently strapped to his back was anything of a hint.

Arno continued to cast his mind back again at their first proper talk...  
  
Axe had laughed and humored the other on his drunken antics, which was why, ironically, he was now sitting here in the Assassin HQ, dining with them. After hearing Arno's story and letting slip that he was looking for an organization bearing a certain symbol that resembled a capital "A"; Axe had taken the conversation to a much more serious tone.

Arno bit down into the boiled meat, taking small chunks of it off, making good use of his knife and fork as he cut up the rest. Green Coat was across from him sitting next to Ice Cream, the two conversing every now and again smiling, as Axe wolfed down his meal. This was punctuated with the others asking Arno more about himself.  
  
He had been more excited than nervous to meet the other two Assassins in his group. He was by no means a "full" Assassin in their eyes, mostly likely not even "Novice Assassin" but was eager, non-the-less, to form bonds that would cement them together as brothers in the Creed. Really his presence was a means to an end, if he was being honest with himself. Where as he was not born directly into the Creed, his father had-  
  
Arno coughed, finishing up his meal with a thanks and heading off to sit down on his bed. When he arrived he then busied himself with taking his shoes off. Anything to distract himself from _that_ particular train of thought.  
  
He watched the Assassin called "Ice Cream" beginning to boil water as the others chatted and cleaned up. Arno was later offered some and he took a small potion of the warm water in his porcelain bowl. He scratched the beginnings of a stubble on his chin. Perhaps a shave was in order...  
  
~  
  
For the next two weeks, Arno Dorian shadowed the Assassins through the chaotic streets of Paris.

Demonstrations on nearly every street corner about the rights of freedom, unfair taxes and the worrying trend of bakers rumored to be hoarding flour had sprung up, which only served to bring the promise of guards to quickly subdue any apparent "unrest" that the towns folk could drum up.

Arno kept close to Axe for most of the time, even as fights would break out on street corners. But even along side the other Assassins, he could feel the hairs on his arms stand up on end each and every time the four of them stepped out in the cobbled streets.

Daily, each Assassin was given a task by Axe, who, every morning, would console a large looking brown ledger before assigning duties. Arno was saddled with being given the task of look out, at the beginning, which he accepted gracefully.

As time progressed he was then given a few side missions with just Ice Cream as his companion from time to time. The man instructed him in lock picking along side the nuances of intelligence gathering and blending techniques. Intelligence gathering, as it turned out, was a major part of their mandate, it seemed, but Arno had to admit he did doze off a couple of times, while sitting on a sunny park bench, if it wasn't for a sharp nudge in the ribs from Ice Cream when their target walked into sight.

As for active combat...that one was tricky.

And strange.

For a group calling themselves "Assassins" there was little of that actually going on. Instead it was just watching, note taking, following and more note taking on hapless towns folk. With a couple lock picking missions thrown in for good measure. All four men would gather at the end of each day, just as the last light hid behind the horizon, from strolling the streets of Paris and report back to Axe whom would scratch down the information into that same large ledger he had consulted that very same day.

As the days past, Monday turned into Sunday and then into another Monday,  Arno found himself becoming restless at the monotonous of it all.

"Something on your mind, son?"

Arno looked up from his meal.

The light was beginning to fade once again, a rain storm was closing in from the sounds of it. Not that it bothered the three occupants in the Assassin's living room as rain began to patter against the window pains and on the roof top. The day had been hot but nothing too unusual for the month of June.

Arno flicked his eyes over to the hardly moving and familiar hunched over figure in the corner of the room, before looking back down at his half eaten plate of fish, shrugging slightly.

"Nothing of value."

Axe raised his eyebrows, settling his fork on his plate and leaning back on his stool.

"Is that right?"

Arno looked up at the questioning tone.

"Green, go get us some candles, it's too bloody dark in 'ere."

"Send Arno."

Axe turned in his seat.

"You've not moved from 'ya perch in ages, and I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't shifted since last night."

At this Green Coat's eyes snapped up.

"Move before 'ya legs drop off."

Green Coat's shoulder length hair hid most of a dark scowl, before he pushed his seat backwards with a loud wooden scrape and wondered out of the room, shoulders stiff.

Axe leaned forwards whispering.

"If its Green Coat that's bothering ya, the man's a miserable sod at the best of times; so pay him no heed."

Arno coughed.

"No, I..."

 _Well, true,_ Arno thought to himself, Green Coat had been not as friendly towards himself as the others had been, but that wasn't what was pressing on his mind.

Arno chose his next words carefully.

"For a group calling themselves " _Assassins"_... there seems to be very little of that happening."

Axe studied the twenty one year old for a moment.

"You want to fight?"

"In a manner of speaking."

Axe returned to his meal, smirking.

"Fair enough. Tomorrow morning, you and me are goin' out back. Let's see what those Templars teach their young' ins."

There was a creak of a door opening, making both men turn, as in walked a very wet and soggy Ice Cream, water dripping everywhere from his large coat which Green Coat, once putting the candles down onto the table, began to help him out of.

"You got it?"

Ice Cream looked up smirking at Axe, his wavy hair hanging damply around his face, clinging to his cheek bones, as he handed something wrapped in a tanned piece of leather to Green Coat.

"I got it."

~

Just what this item was, Arno didn't know and from the looks of things for the time being, he was not going to.

He had curiously ask Axe about the "item", which was from what he could see during the hand over from Ice Cream to Green Coat, that it was a long and circular looking leather tube. Axe had said it was an extra piece of metal Green Coat needed, or something to that effect, but Arno didn't buy it.

But for the meanwhile he put this curiosity to the back of his mind.

He had a meeting to attend.

True to his word, the next morning, after a wash and a shave, Axe met an ever eager Arno out in the back yard of the building for their first sparing session. the air was thick with morning mist, the sun peaking through the rays as Arno breathed in, flexing his hands. Axe had told the youngster to go at him with everything he had. Which Arno was only too willing to comply with. Time to show what he was made of. But as the morning wore on, and the morning fog evaporated, it was becoming quite apparent that Arno had very little experience in actual close quarter fighting, or indeed Assassinating, when he was tasked with sneaking up on Axe and got his arse flipped over instead.

Axe, knowing of Arno's past history and links, found it highly amusing a boy brought up by the Templars was this, in his words, "inept".

But when it came time to fight with the Sabre, Arno smirked as he repeated all the moves he knew in high confidence. All the hours he had spent with his past tutors were finally paying off.

After a couple of well placed lunges and swipes he was confident that any feelings of being "inept" were put to bed as he sheathed the weapon back into it's holder at his left hip.  
  
“Nah, nah, nah,” Axe drawled, tutting, “This won't do."

Axe put both his heavy hands onto his seat, pushing off from the large wooden salt barrel he had been leaning against and walked up to the younger man.  
  
“You've got the skill, lad, but you're all over the place...”

Arno straightened up to his full height, realizing just how massively tall Axe was.

"I am fully qualified in all matters concerning the sword. What is it that you find so _lacking_?"  
  
After a moment of thought, Axe clapped his hand heavily on the others shoulder. He seemed to have a habit of that, Arno snorted as he was pushed sideways by the force, staggering slightly.  
  
“Right, you're on training my boy. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays will be with me. Other days I'll get Ice to teach ya.”  
  
Arno had bristled, narrowing his eyes at the avoidance of his question.  
  
He didn't want to be seen as burden or for the others to think he was "inept", regardless of how Green Coat, in particular, was making him feel recently.

Arno had trained from a very young age to hone his sword fighting skills. But when ever he trained from that moment on with a stocky Axe or the lithe Ice Cream, he begrudgingly agreed he did need the training. Not so much in sword fighting but in everything else the Assassins could throw at him. Smoke bombs, crossbows, hidden blades and the like. So many different things Arno was struggling to find time to spend on each.

Templar training had been focused on gentleman's combat. Certain unspoken laws were observed as two opponents dueled. The techniques that the Assassins used were...not exactly barbaric, but certainly _not_ in the way of thinking he was trained or raised in.  
  
As the days and his re-education progressed, he preferred the familiar company of Axe, but found he was just as relaxed around the second most tallest member of the group.

Ice Cream was nothing if not friendly, albeit could be slightly shy at times. He was soft spoken and would answer questions and give advice when Arno was unsure.

Once, during their sparring sessions, Arno had pinned the other down and realized with a jolt how soft the others skin was, when his bare hand had captured the back of the others neck. Ice Cream had looked over his shoulder and starting smiling at the look on Arno's face.

“...Its one of the reasons I'm called Ice Cream,” he had chuckled, before he suddenly jerked his leg out, wrapping it around Arno's right and flipped their positions over, reversing them.

Arno coughed up dirt from his prostration on the ground, shoulders pinned to the earth as he looked over his shoulder to see a smug Ice Cream watching him.

“But I'm not soft in the head.”  
  
“Point taken,” Arno had continued to splutter, as the other helped him up.

He also found Ice Cream would surprisingly know quotes and passages from some of his favourite novels. Which was a God send in speeding up their friendship. Ice Cream was shy, that much was evident, but the moment books were mentioned he _really_ came out of his shell, Arno realized. When the ex-Templar would quip a witty line, over dinner, Ice Cream would often counter with a come-back passage from the same book. The boy was pleased there was another literary person in their group and enjoyed debating with the man, especially in the evenings. Even if that meant having to ignore the semi hidden man watching them both natter from across the room.

Arno laughed, leaning back on his chair when he had finally succeeded in out quoting Ice Cream on yet another book. The other waved his hand saying "No, no, I have a reply, just let me think..." as he closed his blue eyes, fingers pressed to his temple, no doubt trying to imagine reading the book, searching for any hidden or forgotten passages. "Tick, Tock," Arno had chuckled, folding his arms over his chest.

He was enjoying this way too much.

Arno flicked his eyes over to the table in the corner and, sure enough, Green Coat was watching them. But the second Arno caught his eye, the man had quickly looked back down at his work.

_What is that man's problem?-_

"Well, what about "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" _?"_

Arno snapped out of his musing and looked back to Ice Cream, curiously raising an eyebrow.

"I've... not heard of that one. Is it any good?"

The man laughed, explaining that it was a rather scandalous book that had only just been published and then promptly banned due to it's highly sexual nature. The Lock Pick Assassin continued to chuckle that he had manged to get hold of a copy, but when Arno had come to ask how, Ice Cream smiled slowly and merely whispered;

"That is for me to know and you not to find out-"

"Ice Cream."

Both Assassins looked round at the abrupt voice.

"...Oui?"

"I need your tool kit."

Arno frowned. He was enjoying their conversation and the fact that Green Coat was suddenly muscling in pissed him off to the extent he couldn't keep his mouth shut any longer.

"Surely not right this second, Green Co-"

" _Now._ "

Arno blinked.

Green Coat wasn't just looking at him.

He was _glaring._

Ice Cream looked between them both, coughed and stood up.

"Sure, just, er... give me a few moments."

Arno looked up surprised as Ice Cream offered him a small and apologetic smile before leaving the room.

As the Assassin walked out, Arno looked back at Green Coat who's eyes were now cast back down at his work.

Arno looked at the small fire burning in the grating, hearing small clinks and taps of metal upon metal as the Technical Specialist resumed his work.

Arno blinked again.

_What the hell just happened?_

 


	2. Ball Bearings

~

"Me? Nah, I ain't for 'em. I don't have the patience."

Axe was sitting on his sofa-come-bed, turning his trade mark axe over in his hands, looking for defects, while every now and again rubbing some oil or ointment onto the shiny metal with a cloth.

"Ask Ice Cream, he's more into that sort'a thing."

"Hmm..." Arno agreed, returning the brown book to the shelf. It was worth a try, Arno mused, his suspicion that Axe wasn't a book reader now confirmed, before looking over to the darkest corner of the room to see a conspicuously empty table and chair.

"...What time are they due back?"

" 'bout an hour's time or when ever the deed is done."

Arno nodded again, not taking his eyes off where Green Coat's figure should currently be residing. Last night's conversation still playing again and again in his head. The way Green Coat had near enough snarled the word "now" at him made Arno very weary. Up until last night, his and Green Coat's friendship had been fledgling in it's infancy, which was expected, Arno had not spent much time working the Assassin, but never before had there been any outward hostility. Not any more it seemed... And Ice Cream had not even questioned it. Sure, Ice Cream was a very amendable man, which Axe would frequently point out let people walk over him, but he was no push over.

Or was he?

Arno cocked his head towards the table.

"Do you think I could...?"

The stocky man looked over to where the twenty one year old was indicating.

Axe laughed, shaking his head, returning to his work.

"On your head be it."

With a sudden mischievous spring to his step, Arno walked briskly over to the unprotected horde of metal, subconsciously pulling up the sleeves on his white shirt.

As he reached it, Arno paused, casting his gaze around the messy work station.

Scraps of paper were scattered here and there, some with numbers scribble across in a hurried scrawl, others not. Off to his right; a mug with traces of water was precariously perched on top of a couple of old newspapers, a pencil was broken nearby, scraps of metal were piled up in sections off to the side and... something strong smelling was coming from under the protective wooden work board that took up most of the table.

Arno hesitated.

It was one thing to just look at Green Coat's work, but to touch?

He could almost imagine the man sitting at the wooden chair, looking up at him with those brown eyes, daring him to invade his territory.

Arno smirked.

He felt a delicious thrill shoot through his body as his fingers curled around the edges of the wooden board. He sniffed slightly, confused... the smell of what ever was under the board was familiar but he was struggling to name it. As the wooden board came away he saw a flicker of blue. He frowned as slowly he reached down and picked up a long strip of blue cloth that smelt strongly of...ah, Vanilla. That was the name of it, Arno mused. He looked under the rest of the board and saw small crushed pods of said plant littered about underneath.

Why was he crushing Vanilla pods under his work station?

"Hmm..." Arno breathed, turning the cloth over, no doubt some sort of cleaning instrument for some device but why this and the pods were where they were... Carefully replacing it under the protective board he next lifted a small cloth of red that was off to his left to see under all manner of small wheels, pins, ball bearings and the like. Some highly polished, the others not so, laid out in neat rows like soldiers on a march.

"Why does he spend so much time here?"

It was a stupid question really, Arno thought as he continued to explore. He could see very clearly why Green Coat spent all his free time here. The man was clearly obsessed with his work. But something...something was bothering him deep down in his gut...

He continued to peer over at the small blotches of spilled oil, ink and a collection of miss matched cogs that were leaning against a trio of worn books. Two guns were in the center of the table, dismantled and looked like they were in the middle of being heavily modified.

"Technical Specialist, remember?" Axe said, not looking up from his axe cleaning. "Along with our equipment and such, if he weren't working on them, they'd be all jammed up and worth next to naught."

Arno's eyes caught sight of the mystery item that Ice Cream had handed to Green Coat the other day. He leaned over and studied it. It looked like nothing more than a leather carrying tube which was now open and very empty.

There was also a collection of other items in a small tin box which Arno could only warrant a guess over.

"I'm impressed, it must take a steady hand to fix such things..." Arno said, lifting the red cloth again further to see a third gun with straps of leather sewn carefully around it.

"Aye, and long time too."

"I gather that is why the man looks like he does not sleep."

"One of the reasons, but you'd have to ask Ice Cream abo-"

Arno paused, frowning at the abrupt silence and looked up to see Axe coughing and quickly putting his axe down, pushing himself up from the couch and walking over to the fire.

Arno raised an eyebrow.

"...I'm sorry?"

Axe picked up a poker nonchalantly and prodded the small grated fire with it.

"I'm goin' out to get us some nosh, be away from there when he comes back."

Arno nodded as the bearded man put the poker away, secured his now gleaming axe to it's holster and left with sudden purpose.

Arno looked at the door for a while where the other had exited.

Hmm...

The young man looked back down at the table, wondering what Green Coat would say if he knew another was in his territory.

Arno scoffed, replacing the cloth.

Green Coat was odd.

First off, he couldn't work out how old the guy was. Not that it really mattered, in the grand scheme of things. But if Arno had to warrant a guess, he would say early twenties as he looked very similar in age to himself. But with that permanent scowl etched deep onto his face and large dark circles under his eyes, he looked a lot older.

Axe looked mid thirties, and Ice Cream, well... he _looked_ in his twenties but Arno suspected he was much closer in age to Axe than to himself.

When they were tracking down a target, Green Coat was, well... an excellent Assassin, but was silent and guarded before, during and after missions. When Arno had asked the man a question he always got one worded answers and that was if he was lucky. Where as Ice Cream was shy initially, he would open up during a conversation. Green Coat on the other hand never got over the first hurdle. Axe had tasked Green Coat with being the stand-in-teacher to Arno, when Ice Cream or himself weren't available for training. When that did happen and Green became his teacher...their sparring sessions were next to none existent, or if they did manage to go out back to the sparring ring, the dark haired man always seemed to be using more force than was necessary.

Or fobbing him off that he didn't have the time.

Which truth be told, suited Arno. He was never one for appreciating awkward silences during training anyway, even if it meant forgoing the opportunity to "accidentally" punch the man in the face.

Arno looked over to his own bed, sitting down on Green Coat's chair.

So this was the view the man had of him.

Arno remembered Axe's mention of Green Coat being a 'miserable sod on the best of days', but for all intense and purposes, the man seemed to act like everything Arno did was an annoyance. Like an insect, Arno had mused one day when there had been a loud bang and he had turned to see Green Coat sweeping a dead fly off of his table. The thought that Green Coat was taking acceptation to his past links as a Templar did cross Arno's mind very early on. Which would be understandable, if it were not for the other two Assassins being so accepting. Perhaps the man was more cautious? After all, the Templars were the Assassin's greatest enemies and to have an ex-Templar sleeping, eating and shitting in the Assassin's camp probably wasn't one of the best ways to start a friendship.

He looked back down at the table and moved a ball bearing away from it's neighbors.

~

Arno turned in his bed, grunting.

The heat was not getting any better as June moved into July, even if the nights were theoretically meant to be cooler than the day. He begrudgingly opened up his eyes, staring up at the ceiling. Hmm, looks like a new crack had developed in the plaster...

Arno lowered his brow, annoyed at the trivial thoughts traveling through his brain and began to cast his eyes about until they settled on his white shirt that was hanging down above him from the bed post. He preferred to sleep in something akin to clothes but the amount of sweat that was currently pouring off of him in the heat was laying waste to that plan. He wasn't the only one. Axe on his own sofa was near enough naked, although he was covering his modesty.

Speaking of which, nature calls.

Arno slowly got out of bed, his greying sleeping trousers hung lose around his waist as he made his way over and into the "Throne Room". A piss-pot in the corner of the room would have sufficed he mused, as upon his exiting of the toilet he accidentally stubbed his toe on a lose floor board, swearing-

"Green...?"

Arno looked at the shut door where the whisper had come from.

"Afraid not."

He waited for a response but when he got none he continued back to the main area.

As Arno walked in he looked over and saw Green Coat's also semi naked form hadn't moved from the table since he himself went to bed three hours ago.

The young man narrowed his eyes at the hunched over figure, whom was leaning over on his crossed over arms, obviously asleep.

Or passed out.

Could be either one, really.

True to form, Green Coat had noticed immediately upon his return that someone had been at his table.

Not that Arno really cared he knew, save for the slight thrill one gets from poking a sleeping lion.

The look on the dark haired man's face was worth it when he and Ice Cream had returned from their mission. Arno's ego gleefully shot a glare back when Green had looked at him accusingly and he had smirked unseen when Green Coat picked up the stray ball bearing, narrowing his eyes at it.

Arno knew it was petty.

Ridiculously petty.

But if Green Coat wanted to cause an atmosphere around the group then Arno was going to engage; one ball bearing at a time.

The young Assassin arrived at his bed and climbed in with a sigh.

Green Coat was so passive aggressive to anyone whom came near that table, it was stupid.

Except if that person was Ice Cream.

For some reason.

_"One of the reasons, but you'd have to ask Ice Cream abo-"_

Axe's voice swam around his head. He had asked the leader what he had meant out right when the man had returned later that day, which did no good, the larger man denied he had said such a thing. Or if he did then it was a slip of the tongue and _"hold that thought lad, I need to start the fire for dinner, fish alright again?"_

Hmm.

Perhaps he would let Ice Cream know of that conversation, even if his gut strangely told him not too.

Which just confused the young Assassin more.

No sooner had that thought passed through his mind, then Ice Cream himself walked into the main room from the corridor. Arno squinted in the darkness over his shoulder in bed and could see Ice's fully clothed frame softly wonder over and place a hand on Green Coat's shoulder, shaking him gently. Arno watched curiously, ignoring Axe's loud snores from the far away sofa, as Green jerked awake with a snort before apologizing and allowing Ice Cream to guide him back towards the corridor and into their shared room.

Arno wasn't sure if he was imaging it, but the only time he ever saw Green Coat away from his table or sleeping was when Ice Cream was around. And when he was sparring with the tall assassin, Green Coat's passive hostility towards him seemed to increase for the rest of that day.

Arno shut his eyes, making a face, as the faint sent of Vanilla began to invade his dreams.

~  
  
After a few more weeks of training, hot nights and even more not so-secret-glaring; Arno and the others got the news that they had been waiting for.  
  
Ice Cream had been wrapping a bandage carefully around Arno's hand (the result of a miss calculated leap from a stack of boxes into a hay pile) when Axe had burst into the main area with the biggest smile on his face Arno had ever seen. Green Coat followed in tow, smirking, but the moment he clapped his eyes on Arno, that septic look was back. Arno was about to shoot an equally toxic look over Ice Cream's shoulder but he was too distracted by seeing a helpless pigeon flailing in one of Axe's massive hands.  
  
“This is our first mission as a group, lads! ” Axe proclaimed as he stood at the newly acquired large table in the middle of living area.

He plopped the bird on the table as Green Coat, non too delicately, unwound the message from the flailing bird's legs. When he finished, Axe let the bird go, which righted itself and promptly flew up into the rafters cooing angrily at being man handled.  
  
Arno watched it go as he stood up and walked over to the table, flexing his now bandaged hand. Apart from being an excellent Lock Picker, the man was also knew a fair bit of medicine. Arno had wondered at what Ice Cream had maybe been prior to his role as an Assassin but figured it was probably best not to know which profession involved breaking locks on a regular basis.

"Everyone gather round, this comes directly from the Mentor."

Arno felt his heart beginning to thump, excitement and anticipation ran through his body like a steady rising torrent as he reached the newly acquired large wooden table in the center of the room. The Mentor had never had contact with them while he himself had been with the Assassins and from the body language of the others it seemed neither had they in quite a while.

As he reached the table, he looked down and saw one word stand out from the rest of the miniature letter.

_Bastille._

_~  
_

 

 


	3. Letter from the Mentor

~

"I hope this letter finds you and your brothers well. Please give my warm welcome to your newest recruit.-"

Arno scratched the back of his head, as he watched Axe leaning over the table, holding a very large piece of glass over the note. His face was near enough pressed against it, so small were the letters that must be written upon the letter.

"-Revolution is not present in Annacy. Word has reached us that your area is becoming unstable. I here by give you leave to assist the people in any means necessary to stop Templar influences. Bastille's commander Bernard-René de Launay. Safety and Peace.  M"

Axe made an approving noise, placing the magnifying lens and note in Ice Cream's palm who shut one eye and held both items close to his face, scrutinizing the piece of paper.

"When was the letter written?"

"Says here..." Ice Cream said squinting into the lens. "...8th July, 1789"

"Written four days ago..." Green Coat mused.

The young man looked at the other three, each standing by a table side.

"Forgive me but, that letter was rather....brief?" Arno commented. He had expected a much longer note, or at least some more details on perhaps how the other units of Assassins were fairing. He had heard Ice Cream mention there were other groups in and around Paris, but never once had they had contact with them, direct or indirect. Then he remembered with a jolt that perhaps the information in the letter was short on purpose. After all he had been a Templar...maybe the Assassin's Mentor was withholding information due to this reason?

_Please give my warm welcome to your newest recruit._

Arno bowed his head slightly, suddenly unsure.

"Master Connor likes to be short in his communications with us," Ice Cream said, lowering the glass and offering it to Green Coat who shook his head. The Assassin then put the small tanned letter into an equally small bundle inside a nearby trinket box.

Arno looked up.

"Aye, he's not known to be a chatty man," Axe said before snapping his fingers over at the dark haired assassin across the table.

"Green, show us what you got, lad."

The Assassin in question nodded his head and pulled a large leather bound ledger to himself, opening it.

Arno recognized the book instantly; it was the same one Axe had been writing all their daily findings in. Fights, rumors and even the comings and goings of certain town folk were jotted down within it's pages with time, dates and the Assassin involved scribbled down next to it. But Arno failed to see why some notes, such as the trivial information on how many pieces of bread Mrs Breton in the apartment next door was buying per week, was even included.

Green Coat flipped to a certain page and pressed his finger to it.

"Now that we have been given the word, I propose an intervention."

"At what level?"

The Assassin stared at Axe.

"Direct."

"Reason?"

Arno narrowed his eyes and strained his ears to keep up with this new turn in events as he tried to peer over to the book. Obviously it was to do with some piece of information one of them had gathered but just what that was he couldn't make out. And, "Direct", what did that mean? What ever was going on, he wasn't quite sure, but decided to keep his mouth shut as the Assassin continued.

"As of late yesterday, Jacques Necker has been banished."

Axe sucked in his teeth, drumming his fingers on the wooden surface.

"Has he now..."

"Which would explain the increase in troop patrols..." Ice Cream said, frowning.

Arno too frowned, but not for the same reason. Sure he had seen more guards snooping around their street but not one of them seemed concerned with checking their apartment building.

"Forgive me but, who is Jacques Necker?"

He ignored the sharp and almost tart-like intake of breath from the emerald colored Assassin.

Ice Cream shrugged.

"He is-well, _was_ , France's financial adviser."

"So?"

"He was looking after the loans that are funding the revolution that is happening in America," the brown-copper haired Assassin continued. "Our country has a lot at stake in the Americas, fighting the British, and as such, we are in a lot of dept. Monsieur Necker has been trying to keep the books straight."

"Although I 'ere hes prone to a bit of light cooking of them, if his latest paper is to be believed," Axe said snorting.

"Indeed."

"Even though he was a bumpkin in looking after the public's money, he did his job. Now with him gone, the thread that was keeping France from falling into bankruptcy has just evaporated," Green Coat mumbled into thin air.

Arno nodded slowly as Axe turned to him.

"Imagine you have a banker who is a bloody rascal, but good at his job," Axe said seeing the slight confusion still on Arno's face. "Your money is, eh... _some_ what safe. Sure, he may use your money for the odd drink now and again but no one is going to nick the entire lot, not while he is in charge.

"But now he's been banished..." Ice Cream said beginning to look uncomfortable.

"Hmm..." Green Coat added, looking to the other. "Uncertainty is the only certainty."

"Why was Necker banished?" Arno asked looking around at the others. "By who?"

Axe laughed.

"He's not on the King's Christmas Card List, let's put it that way. Necker was on our side; the Third Estate. Also known as "The Public". While he was looking after France's purse we could all sleep at night knowing Austria or Merry 'old England aren't going to come over and pinch our coppers."

Axe coughed as scratched his beard.

"Seems he must 'ave pissed off his Highness to get the boot-"

"I should have mentioned this sooner..."

The room looked at Ice Cream.

"A few hours ago in the northern district's largest pub, I over heard a joke that the Saint-Lazare was to be stormed tomorrow morning."

Axe cocked his head.

"While it did indeed bring a drunken laugh to that group of what looked like run of the mill thugs... I believed it was not worth mentioning as the group were quiet intoxicated at the time. They did not seem like the usual type of men who could drum up a demonstration even when coherent... but seeing as Monsieur Necker has indeed gone..."

Ice Cream coughed, scratching at a large light brown side burn.

"I apologize I did not present this information sooner."

Axe waved his hand, smiling.

"No need to."

Ice Cream nodded.

"Should we investigate?" Green Coat asked, crossing his arms.

Axe narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, staring off into space, continuing to drum his fingers on the table.

"No...if there is a storming of the Saint-Lazare, I can guarantee you the only thing in there is food and we have ample supplies, so no need for us to partake."

Ice Cream raised a hand.

Axe nodded.

"As we are well aware, the people around here are growing anxious at the troop's, now increased, presence in this area. I predict that there will come a time when the public's fear will boil over and turn into anger. In this case there is a more credible rumor that the Hotel des Invalides is to be ransacked, also."

He leaned to his left and muttered "186" to Green Coat as the other flicked to the correct page.

Axe leaned back and crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes.

"..go on..."

Ice Cream licked his lips and shifted on the spot.

"...and then..."

Ice Cream looked over to Green Coat who finished for him.

"..the Bastille was mentioned."

"Merde!" Axe slammed his hand down on the table, turning away from it briefly before pointing a finger across the table. "You'd better be bloody right about this Green-"

"What?" Arno couldn't help himself.

Ice Cream looked over.

"If the Hotel des Invalides is raided, there are only weapons in there. Once the crowd realize this..."

Arno could feel frustration creeping into his voice.

"Yes, and-?"

"Our Mentor was the last point of call on this, Axe," Green Coat said loudly, drowning out Arno, looking directly at the larger man. "He knows what's going to happen."

Arno looked away from the table as he felt his patience wearing thin at the interruption. He visualized jumping the table and punching that smug look off of Green Coat's face.

The axe carrying leader breathed in heavily, looking at a wall off to the side.

Arno felt the room go cold, his own temper suddenly dying down as he realized the other two Assassins were standing perfectly still, faces set like stone.

Arno felt his breathing quicken as the silence prolonged, hairs on his arms began to stand up on end.

After what felt like an age the Axe Assassin's deadly voice pierced the air like a bullet.

"You two have an hour."

Green Coat and Ice Cream immediately left the room.

Arno blinked, clenching his teeth as Axe looked over at him.

"Forgive me but...what's happening?"

"Direct Level, lad."

~

No sooner had he left the room then an hour had passed and he was back in it.

God, he was so confused.

He had tried to corner one of the other Assassin's the moment he left the meeting room to find out just what the heck was going on, but from the speed at which they where gathering things, jerking books and large pieces of paper off of shelves, he decided not too. Especially when he saw Green Coat with bottles of gun powder.

Taking up his standing position at the same side of the table he was before, Arno studied the others around him. Each were where they were before, save for now schematics, maps, and other items laid out on the table. Pieces of chalk, charcoal and red lines and circles dotted the maps and there was that smell again!

Arno looked around him and saw Green Coat with the blue Vanilla-smelling-piece-of-cloth hanging from his waist band.

Hmm, curious...

Arno coughed as they waited for their leader to appear. When he did, he saw the man carrying a large rolled up piece of paper, the edges torn and yellow. Axe carefully unrolled it and placed it on the table's surface, Ice Cream moving to put a heavy book at each of the ends, securing it. Arno leaned forwards and saw very clearly a highly detailed diagram of the Bastille Castle.

Axe coughed again and the other two stood to attention.

Arno followed suite.

"Date."

"Sunday, 12th July 1789."

"Time."

"About 5:15pm."

"Those present?"

"Green Coat."

"Ice Cream."

"Axeman."

The others looked over at the twenty one year old.

“Arno...Arno Victor Dorian.”

There was a pause as Axe scribbled all this down quickly on the side of the map. For someone who doesn't like to read, the man was very fast in his writing, Arno noticed.

"I hear by declare this meeting open. The mission we four are about to undertake the day after tomorrow is highly dangerous and as such, if you have any qualms or trespasses, state them now."

The room was silent.

Axe smiled.

"Good. Now, first things first. Arno?"  
  
The young man looked up from beneath his navy cowl, all senses at attention.  
  
“This is the first full Assassin mission for you. We three 'ave been on missions together, so we know the drill. I am aware that your training has gone well but I'm only going to say this once...”  
  
Arno leaned in, the hairs on the back of his neck beginning to stand up on end.

This was it. This was what he had been waiting for. Since the day he left his home to seek the Assassin's out, he had hoped to join them in ridding Paris of the scum that he once had called himself. Templars. He narrowed his eyes and promised himself what ever happens on this mission, he would not hold back.  
  
 “You'll be sticking to me like shit on a shoe, got it?”  
  
Arno blinked.

 He tried to ignore Ice Cream trying to hide his smiling across from him at Axe's colourful choice of words, before he nodded.

"...Understood."  
  
“We shall all blend with the crowd. Once the bridge is lowered then we take out as many guards as we can here,” the burly man said, moving a piece of chalk across the inked map.  
  
Arno nodded, already feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise again with anticipation. He hadn't had a first kill yet. Well, not if you counted the poor looking straw effigy out the back. Arno had successfully stopped Ice Cream from flipping him over multiple times and got a couple over on Axe. But a real mission? This was something else.

"Arno and myself shall stay and move _with_ the crowd."

Axe moved two pieces of chalk along the inked in streets of Paris.

"The Bastille is a well known Templar Fort. Up until today it's been low on our radar, but now Master Conner has given us direct orders, it's very much of interest to us."

There were murmurs of agreement.  
  
“And what shall you two lovely gents be up to?” Axe continued, casting his dark brown eyes over to the other side of the table, bracing his muscular arms on it.  
  
“Ice Cream and myself shall take to the upper floors,” Green Coat said, very matter of fact, arms stiff behind his back. “Taking out the guards here," he said pointing to the posts, “here and here.”  
  
Axe looked up at Ice Cream.  
  
“What does our planner say?”  
  
“I agree, however may I suggest an alternative?”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
“We do not have to do the actual Assassination."

Arno's ears pricked.

"If we let the mob in... they will do it for us. Not only will that allow us time to make out escape, but having the crowd be the judge, jury and executioner; it will help to embolden them and raise moral. We are simply unlocking the door."  
  
Axe's face lit up as Green Coat nodded.

"Who?"

Everyone looked at Arno.

"Who is the target?"

"Bernard-René de Launay. He's the commander stationed at the Bastille...and now according to our Mentor's note, a Templar," Axe said.

"Yes, a Templar with an army and castle," Green muttered, picking up some lint from the table and flicking it away.  
  
“ I don't see how we can get a crowd to kill one man-”  
  
“We don't,” Green Coat added tersely, snapping his eyes to Arno.

Arno met that gaze and stared him down seeing that familiar dark scowl reappearing on the others face.  
  
He was beginning to get _real_ tired of that look-  
  
“Myself and Green Coat,” Ice Cream quickly added softy, “will go ahead of you, disable the draw bridge, climb up to the second level and deal with the guards there. You two will go into the main court yard as we secure the inner one.”  
  
“Good, good,” Axe said nodding, ignoring Green Coat's earlier tone. “While you two are doing that, me and the lad here will come in from behind and make sure our dear  Templar marquis is relieved of his guards.”  
  
There were murmurs of agreement.  
  
Arno frowned, finally losing his patience.  
  
“Why are they storming the Bastille? If, by that point, the crowd have already stormed the Hotel des Invalides, surely they will have all the weapons, not to mention food from the earlier breaking in at Saint Lazare. Why do they _need_ to attack such a heavily fortified castle?”  
  
Arno almost didn't ignore the sharp stare from Green Coat at his question.  
  
“Aside from being a symbol of power and dominance?” Axe said leaning back slightly. “If they attack the Hotel des Invalides, yes they gain weapons. But what are they missing?"

Arno frowned, looking down to the table. He looked around until he saw traces of black powder on Green Coat's sleeve.  
  
“...gun powder,” Arno said eyes going slightly wider at the realization.  
  
Now it made sense.  
  
“ _Exactly_ ,” Axe added. "Ammunition. You could 'ave the best gun in the entire world but with out ammunition it's just a glorified stick."  
  
“The mob will not only be after the gun powder but the prisoners inside-”Green Coat began, before Ice Cream interrupted.  
  
“Actually, just the gun powder.”

Green Coat blinked and looked over.

"Oh?"

"Yes, I've marked all the locations of the powder kegs on the map in red. Also the prisoners."  
  
All eyes went to the markings on the map and then up to Ice Cream.  
  
“There are eight prisoners inside. Locations are here, here, and the rest are kept here,” Ice Cream drew back, putting his arms behind his back, straightening up. “Even though they are prisoners, they are of no threat to us. Indeed, some of them are simply old men who want seclusion from the noise of the revolution."  
  
Axe snorted. “I don't blame 'em.”  
  
“The only prisoner of interest is the Comte de Solages, housed here,” Ice Cream continued, pointing to the corresponding cell. "A few weeks ago I picked my way into one of the outer courts to observe him as I was unsure what level of Templar he is. But as far as I can tell, he is not linked to the Templars any longer.”  
  
Arno felt the old anger beginning to rise up inside him at the mention of Templars, but cooled when he heard Green speak.  
  
  “My apologies Ice Cream; I was not aware of your observations.”  
  
Arno secretly smirked under his cowl.  
  
“Where would we be without ya, 'Cream?” Axe winked.  
  
Ice Cream smiled sightly, embarrassed at the praise.

Axe tapped the side of the table with his large hands.  
   
“Thirty-two guards in total and our target.”

"During the initial push forwards, when do Ice Cream and myself break away?"

"When I see an opening," Axe said, his eyes not leaving the map.

The group all stared at the image of the Bastille until Axe sucked in a deep breathe.

"Now we just have to rely on the mob showing up."

Ice Cream and Green Coat looked at each other.

"We can sort that out first thing tomorrow."

“Right. Pack your bags, ready your equipment, and most importantly...”  
  
Arno frowned as he saw Axe looking pointedly between the other two Assassins for the briefest of moments.  
  
“...get some shut eye.”  
  
The others nodded as the meeting came to a close, Axe scribbling down some more notes before shutting the ledger with a thump.  
  
Arno walked back to his bed across the way and set about seeing what items he needed. He looked down and saw the hidden blade Axe had given him during their first training session. He checked it over and smiled. Good, it was still in working order. He took stock of his belts, jacket and boots. But as he finished, he began to frown. From that meeting he was only briefly aware of what was going to actually happen during the mission. He knew that he was to keep close to Axe at all times, but once they got into the Bastille...

Arno looked around the room at the others shifting about.

Ice Cream had gone back to his shared room, Green was at his table fiddling with the two guns he had seen being modified and Axe was starting dinner.

Arno looked back to his bag and once again brought out the small dark diary he kept in there. He chewed his lip, tapping the diary on the edge of the bed, before sliding it under the mattress. Best to keep it here. He reached into his bag once more and pulled out a pocket watch which he immediately put into his breast pocket.

After the group had finished their earlier than usual evening meal, the Assassins double checked their equipment before turning in for the night.

Arno put his dirtied plate with the others and returned to his bed. He squatted down, pulling his clothes bag from under the bed frame and began to change into his night wear.

He paused and looked up to see his blue Assassin Uniform neatly folded up, along side his red scarf on a nearby side cupboard.

Red scarf...

Arno looked behind him as Ice Cream's boots thumped past him.

Arno's eyes went to the man's waist. He was wearing a large red sash, with two red pieces of cloth at the front and back dangling free.

The ex Templar shifted his gaze and saw Axe was wearing one too...in fact, during the meeting, all three of them had been wearing the red sashes. Arno had noticed them wearing the garments on several other occasions but it was only now he realized he didn't have one.

He looked behind him again and watched as Ice Cream began to unwound his, carefully folding it up and putting it over the spare sofa that was his new bed. Arno had heard his actual bed had broken a few days ago, which for some reason or another made Axe bark out a laugh, shoving Green Coat in the arm who looked like the man had just slapped him.  
  
  Arno watched as Ice Cream took his white shirt off, exposing a lithe but strong back and plopped himself down, wearing just his brown trousers, onto the sofa with his back to the room.  
  
Arno squinted.  
  
Ice Cream had rather curved hips-  
  
Arno saw movement from his right and caught Axe's eye.  
  
“Why do you all wear such garments?” he asked as Axe himself began to unwound his own sash.  
  
The large man had raised an eyebrow, until Arno gestured to his waist.

“Oh this? It's a symbol, lad,” the burly leader explained, tossing it aside and pulling the last of the belts off of his person and letting them fall onto his clothes bag in a heap. “The sash is presented to Assassins after they've made their first kill. Not any sort,” he said, hefting down onto his own pink-sofa-come-bed by the door, “but have successful eliminated their first target. A birth, if you will, into the brotherhood-"  
  
“I always thought it was some hideous umbilical metaphor,” Ice Cream muttered from his lying position on the couch.  
  
“ 'ya not far off,” Axe said as he scratched his dark brown beard.  
  
“But don't worry,” the Assassin leader said winking over at Arno as he settled down for the night. “You'll get yours soon enough.”

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> History Lesson:  
> Jacques Necker, the financial minister of France at the time, was dismissed a total of two or three times, depending on which source you read. He was very good at wining over public support when in office, convincing the people of France that their country was not on the brink of bankruptcy, when in reality, it was.  
> When the public, though, began to become suspicious of his enthusiastic maths, he resigned, was re-instated some years later, and then left again, all because he didn't attend the King's speech one day, leading rumors to believe that the King meant to attack the people of Paris. This increased sense of fear, adding to the fact that King Louis XVI did indeed send troops into the streets of Paris, set the stage for the Storming of the Bastille. The people had, quite frankly, had enough of his royal shit.


	4. Storming of the Bastille

~

Arno stepped into the dusty street cautiously, looking to his left and right, scanning the street before he made a break for it. His heavy set boots began clacking against the cobble stones as he walked hurriedly away from the HQ. No sooner was the Assassin's apartment out of sight then he suddenly broke into a sprint, tearing down the alley ways at full speed. He felt his heart hammer against his rib cage as he noticed he was completely alone, his sprint echoing off the brick walls making it sound like he was running through a cathedral. The normally bustling streets was deserted of life, save for a startled cat that hissed at him as he careered round a corner. More and more streets passed him by in a blur, but each seemed eerily the same. The shops on either sides were boarded up, lights out in the early morning. A shadow quickly passed overhead and he looked up to see the tips of a lightly coloured tail coat jumping from one building to another, before disappearing. Arno scoffed, no doubt Axe had sent Ice Cream next out of the door to make sure the new "Assassin" knew where the meeting was.

The boy increased his speed.

All four Assassins had gathered earlier that morning in the main room of their apartment and gone over the plan. Every discrepancy in the plan was heavily scrutinized again and again until it was full-proof. From what to do if one of them got caught, ran out of ammo, lost their way to the entire French Army showing up en masse.

They had then left the meeting, gotten dressed and prepared both physically and mentally for the task ahead.

They began by staggering their leaving the Assassin HQ one after the other as not to draw too much attention, as after all, four men heavily armed traveling together was something they'd rather not have the guard patrols notice.

Axe had walked up to him in the main living room, asked if Arno was ready and told him to leave _now_. Arno had wanted to bid the other two good luck as he hadn't seen either of them after the meeting the day before yesterday but Axe had said it didn't matter and to go **now**.

Arno reached out and grabbed a guttering pipe, spinning around the side and ducking under some washer-woman's abandoned washing line of laundry, tugging his Assassin's hood down further as he took a running jump over a low wall.

 But in the end, all the careful planning, all the plans of "what ifs"... were meaningless. Their success in the mission all came down to one thing showing up:

The mob.

If the Assassins could successfully direct the flow of the angry crowd then everything would go smoothly...but first they had to actually show up.

Green Coat and Ice Cream had been careful in distributing the message that there was to be a riot tomorrow morning while himself and Axe had spent the day making sure all their equipment was up to date and working, going over a few more training sessions.

But as it turned out they need not have worried.

Arno saw Ice Cream run out in front of him and come to a halt, putting up a gloved hand, staring off down an alley way to the left. Arno came to a gradual stop, breathing heavily. He looked at the other and noticed a familiar strip of blue cloth wrapped around the others left upper arm that looked suspiciously like the one Green Coat had around his waist and under his work desk.

"What?-"

Both men ducked as a barrel exploded next to them. They stood on the spot for a moment before Ice Cream grabbed Arno's arm and ran with a "Quick!"

Arno looked over his shoulder and his blood began to boil. A lone guard had spotted them and was now running after them with what looked like a very large barreled gun in his hands.

Arno ran to the Assassin's side and before he could ask, Ice Cream smiled at him and said "I'll take care of this, don't stop running". The taller man suddenly stopped dead and spun pointing a gun at the guard. Arno did as Ice Cream told him and continued down the street, sliding under a pile of wooden barricades before he heard a loud bang from behind him.

Arno continued running but couldn't shake the feeling that the gun shot was...too late? There had been a definite pause from Ice Cream taking aim to the sound. Arno slowed to turn back, a feeling of foreboding beginning to rise in his gut but saw Ice Cream turn a corner from behind him and catch up with the younger man.

"Follow me," Ice Cream shouted as he ran straight for a brick wall and jumped up in one swift impressive motion, his long tail coat swishing with the effort of his grappling of the bricks. Arno ran at the wall and vaulted up, mirroring him.

The young man followed the other across the roof tops. The air up here was crisper but he held his breath when they ran through smoke from a lit chimney, every now and again a lose tile fell from their hurried steps as they did so. Arno continued to followed the other man's figure over chimneys and over gaps. The sun was beginning to rise, the light throwing their shadows down the sloped roof tops. Arno looked up and saw, no _heard_ a low buzzing sound as he saw Ice Cream slide down a roof to his right, scaling down the side of the building. Finally they both jumped down a couple of flights of steps before a flash of green and brown was sighted near a set of ladders. Arno ran after Ice Cream and noticed his gun holster flapping at his hip...it was empty.

"What time do ya call this?" Axe chuckled as the other two approached their pre-arranged meeting point, the sounds of the nearby Notre Dame's bell tolling out the hour.

"We took the scenic route," Ice Cream breathed coming to a halt in front of them, putting his hands on his hips, catching his breath, nodding his head to Green Coat whom nodded back.

Arno breathed deeply also trying to catch his breath.

The tallest member of the group motioned to the ladder and... there was that low buzzing sound again...it was getting louder...

"Right, lets not keep our audience waiting," Axe said as he and Green Coat made towards the set of ladders. Arno looked up, faint traces of yellow smoke were wafting over the eves of the building, the smell of dust beginning to envelope him.

Arno looked to his right and nodded, extending his hand towards the ladder.

"No, no, ladies first," Ice Cream smiled, extending his hand in imitation, making Arno smirk.

"Age before beauty."

Ice Cream gave him a mock look of shock before he smiled, tugging at the beak of his cowl and walked forwards, Arno following.

The four men climbed, each going up the main ladder before splitting off, swinging on the scaffolding, scaling upwards soundlessly.

They heard it before they saw it.

 Arno felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, his breath quickening, pupils dilating, as he realized he was nearing the summit before the others.

The higher up he climbed the louder the buzzing which was now a roar was and, from the sounds of it, the entire street on the other side was filled to burst with voices.

When they all assembled just before the last ladder to the roof, Arno felt a slight shove on his back, “You go on ahead, lad,” Axe said as he looked around for guards, motioning to the final ladder.

He nodded, shaking himself momentarily, focusing on his task and climbed up the final piece of scaffolding swiftly, his heart hammering in his ears. When he reached the platform, it took all his strength to walk forwards. The thought of possible sentries heavy on his mind, but he need not have worried, there was no one there.

He heard it before he saw it. The sound was utterly deafening. Arno walked to the edge and stood in awe, taking in the scene.

Hundreds...no, _thousands_ of people had shown up, lining the streets, symbolic flags of blue, red and white flying here and there, make-shift weaponry jutting into the air angrily. Men and women had been corralled into half the street and they were none to pleased, to put it lightly. Ice Cream and Green Coat had done their job above and beyond what he personally had been expecting. To the far right were lines of soldiers in rows, some crouching, some standing, all with guns menacingly raised. Bodies of people on both sides whom had already fallen filled in the gap between the two groups.

So this was what a revolution looked like.

And Arno did not like it.

He looked over to his right again at the Parisian guards take up formation.

He flicked his eyes left, setting his face. The energy from the baying crowd was becoming more fevered as time progressed, like a boiling pot about to over spill, drowning out all other sounds. The air was thick with hostility and unpredictability and Arno Dorian felt himself shudder, the infectiousness of fear and anger coming from the people below beginning to seep into his bones. The mob was baying for blood and they were going to get it.

There was a sound like thunder as the guards suddenly opened fire on the civilians.

Arno frowned his brow at the scene, forcing himself to become detached from what he was witnessing, the mission plan, the one thing he and the others were here for, going around and around in his head, even as smoke from the guns rose up into his nostrils, the pungent smell of spent gunpowder invading his sense. He almost missed a sparrow hawk duck and fly out of the way of the gun fire.

He continued to stare in disbelief as man and woman were indiscriminately gunned down, the impulse to jump down and help them was strong and Arno nearly didn't notice the other Assassins join him from behind.

Each was silent, the horror of what they were seeing and their task ahead in their minds. Arno looked to his left and saw Green Coat lean over the edge slightly, before he leaned back, Axe walking out in front of him, also looking down at the street.

"What now?" Arno said, his voice hard as stone, watching as a couple of men dragged a third away from the firing line as Axe replied.

"We wait."

The four Assassins stood their ground as they watched the boiling pot start to bubble over. Arno looked up the street to see the Bastille, their goal looming like some hideous monster in the morning light. The only main path up to the draw bridge was this street, all others having been shut off by the guards to keep the Bastille safe. Arno looked up and down that street, once him and Axe landed on the ground they would run with the crowd, would only take a few minutes he reckoned to reach the gate and their mission could begin.

But it would be for nothing if the mob didn't breach the line.

The Assassin's held their breath.

Suddenly, the crowd, spurred on by this unjust act of violence, a lone man standing up shouting, rushed forwards, fearlessly, pouring over the make shift wooden barricade in their droves.

This is what the Assassins had been waiting for.

Axe gave the signal.

Arno tensed his muscles, breathed in and ran, jumping clear of the building and into the street below, arms out stretched as Axe and Green Coat joined him, making their own way down, Ice cream on the other hand, jumping to his right onto the next roof top.

The young Assassin landed in the hay pile, with a crunching of hay and, after realizing he had miraculously not missed the cart, regained his senses and jumped out. Looked like those days of hay-jumping-training with Ice Cream had paid off, he smiled full of relief, picking off stray pieces of yellow straw from his person as he saw Axe descending the building's front, dropping down near him with a thud. Arno smiled as he remembered hearing that Axe _hated_ taking the Leap of Faith.

The leader motioned with his hand and the two men drove into the crowd, Arno just about making out the guards at the far end of the street beating a hasty retreat. He looked over his shoulder and saw Ice Cream and Green running after them. Arno struggled not to get separated, people pushing and shoving, like a torrent of water. But like shit on a shoe, he kept to Axe's side, knocking into him a couple of times as people ran past them.

Suddenly there was an almighty boom from behind them and a roof that they had just past exploded. Shards of wood, glass and metal were flung out into the air, landing on the crowd. But so great was their anger that it did little to slow them down. Arno jogged next to Axe, watching the man's eyes scanning both sides of the street, looking for something.

There was another impossibly loud bang and a second set of roofs were destroyed by cannon fire, straight from the Bastille.

The Assassins ran faster, Arno keeping once more to his mentor's right side.

It was very grounding, Arno thought, to be next to the much larger and stockier man. Like a shield, and in that moment the twenty one year old promised himself he would do everything in his power to protect his Axe carrying mentor.

~

Axe turned his head quickly and pointed over to his right.

Green Coat saw Ice Cream look over and swerved sharply, following the leader's direction. Green ran down the gangway with the crowd, seeing the flash of blue and white of his lover plow into the crowd to his right and went after him. The two ran at full pelt down the alleyway, cutting off and away from the crowd as Green Coat ran up to Ice Cream's side. "Fancy a swim?" Ice Cream laughed as the Bastille and the moat came into sight.

"Is that a promise?" Green shouted as they suddenly had the whole stone bridge to themselves. "If I win!" Ice Cream shouted as they approached the end of the stone road, a sheer drop into the murky water looming below. Green Coat looked over his shoulder and saw the crowd running after them. Good, he thought, the plan was working.

The two men split up, each taking a side of the bridge as Green Coat felt the thud of his own boots against the now wooded surface as he sprinted up the raised gangway, launching himself across the moat. He hit the wall with a thud, and clung on for dear life, his gloved fingers finding purchase on the edges of the stone bricks. He paused looking over to his left and saw Ice Cream already climbing swiftly. He joined the ascent, casting his eyes every so often at the other above. They caught each others eye and both smirked. Oh it was a race, after all was it?

“Bastard,” Green muttered, smiling as he looked behind him and saw the crowd below cheering them on from the edge of the road, all waiting for the moment the draw bridge was set free. The jet black haired man felt adrenaline shoot through his arms, down his chest and into his legs, a thrill encompassing his body at their support as he looked up and saw his first target. He scaled up more and more, stopping when he reached his position. Green Coat pulled out his gun, firing at point blank. The shot broke the chain holding the draw bridge, just as Ice Cream did the same on the other side.

The bridge came down and the mob surged forwards with a cry.

~

Axe shoved the youngster to the right when they were clear of the bridge, just before a large stone arch way; the entrance into the Bastille and both scaled up the wall, hearing the guns go off down in the courtyard. The bodies of the guards that had met Green Coat and Ice Cream on the upper floors were scattered around them as they ran across the short corridor and jumped from the first floor.

Blood, screaming and chaos erupted as Arno felt his blood pounding in his ears as he engaged his hidden blades, almost in slow motion as they fell just as Axe, with one almighty toss of his arm raised his hand and too engaged his hidden blade.

The guards below didn't know what hit them.

Axe slammed his weapon down on the hapless guard he landed on, before reaching behind and drawing out his trade mark Axe. He ran at the attacking guards and downed them, one after the other as Arno ducked and dived, grabbing at the barrel of a long gun from his first would be attacker and head butted him. Arno then used the gun as a club and smacked it against said guards face, the force making the weapon spin out of Arno's hands clumsily. Axe next to him slammed his large weapon down and spun hitting his mark with easy. Somewhere in Arno's brain he was in awe at how quickly the man moved from someone with his frame. But he didn't have long to marvel as there was a roar, making Arno duck as Axe caught his attacker with one swing of his axe. Arno saw his Assassin leader lean forwards as a guard tried to relieve him of his trade mark weapon, only finding himself on the receiving end of it instead.

Arno's vision was suddenly filled with a blurred fist as a guard punched him the face, making him cry out, but out of the corner of his eye he saw another one coming for him. Arno spun, elbowing the new attacker in the face, as Axe finished off his previous one, stealing his sabre sword from the others hilt and defended himself with it.

"ARNO!"

There was a shout and Arno turned quickly to see the blurred form of Axe slamming into yet another would be attacker with such force the youngster could actually feel the ground vibrate under him. Axe looked up nodding, a relieved look on his face. Arno nodded, smiling to his friend in thanks. Suddenly something out of the corner of his eye made his blood run cold.

A guard was coming straight for Axe.

Arno snarled and pushed off making for the guard, his chance to repay Axe's favor all consuming. So much the man had done for him he was _not_ going to let anything happen to the bear-like-Assassin. But the guard whom, one second was charging and in the next, had come to a stop and crumpled with a shout.

The boy came to a running stop, the turn of evens making his thinking slow as Axe got up from his crouch, both men starred at the body for a moment before both seeing a sliver of silver sticking out of the man's back. They looked up to see Ice Cream leaning away from a upper wall smiling. Axe tipped his hand in thanks as Arno made a slight face, _shit_ he hadn't been quick enough. His chance to show the others that he could cover their asses gone with what ever that contraption the other had strapped to his arm- somewhere in the back of his head the leather straps he had seen on Green Coat's table matched the ones he saw. But he had little time to brood as another guard came screaming at him.

~

Ice Cream spun around and engaged his phantom blade, watching as it dug deep into the attacking guard's back. Axe looked up and did a thank you salute with a wave of his hand. The tanned coated Assassin didn't have a chance to smile in return as a sound caught his ear, making him turn his head at the movement out of the corner of his eye. Snapping the contraption back up his arm, he pulled himself forward, grabbing the startled guard at the windowsill and pulling him over the edge.

Green Coat on the other side of the window ledge took his cue and jumped in, slashing at the second guards' legs, perfectly in sync with Ice Cream whom didn't miss a beat as he slammed his fist into the man's face.

The emerald coloured Assassin jumped out the window first onto the wooden platform below, engaging his smoke bomb. Ice Cream followed closely, jumping out of the window and landing with a thump. He clicked the match hook on the device, pushing off on  his feet as the smoke bomb came to life, hurling it at the startled group of guards in the Bastille's inner court yard, watching as Green did the same on the other side.

The guards coughed as the smoke erupted around them and, one by one, they fell to Green Coat and Ice Cream. Knowing the smoke bomb would only work for so long, the light coated Assassin circled. Green Coat saw his partner circle the group before he dove in, watching as he hit guard after guard in back of the neck, downing them. Green, shocked at how fast the other was, drove in as well. He slashed at the targets, aiming to have them downed quickly, less they make a target out of Ice Cream or himself. He saw that the smoke was clearing and willed his limbs to move faster. With a final move he slashed, spun and pulled out his flint lock pistol.

Ice Cream ducked out of the way as the other shot at the remaining guards. He finished off the last one, pushing the man over and onto the floor, hand against his chest. He took a moment to breathe and saw out of the corner of his eye Green Coat standing perfectly still, also taking stock of the scene.

Green Coat remained in his pose, gun drawn as his dark brown eyes cast around the area very carefully.

Three guards left and... _there_ was the gun powder.

Ice Cream turned around, locking his eyes onto the guards left, their guns absent, in their place sabres.

The couple advanced on their prey-

It was Green Coat who stopped first.

In mid stride he froze as he saw their target turn and light a fuse and hold it over the gun powder haul.

Green Coat's eyes widened. That was enough gunpowder to blow up the entire building.

And their target meant to do it.

Green cast his eyes over at the other Assassin whom was...glaring. Not a trace of fear in his face. Green Coat paused as something powerful shivered up his spine and pooled below his waist at how intense and powerful Ice Cream looked.

He wrenched his eyes away from the mesmerizing image of his partner and over to their enemies whom were keeping close to the haul of black powder.

Shit, he thought. This was _not_ what they had planned. The gun powder barrels... they were meant to have been taken underground, so why the hell where they here?! Green Coat snarled as he realized Ice Cream's informer inside the Bastille was a liar.

Both men kept their eyes on their target, neither Assassin nor guards and Templar making for the other.

A stand off began.

Green Coat found himself moving, stepping towards Ice Cream protectively, hand outstretched before he saw movement in a balcony above the guards.

~

Arno watched as Green Coat moved towards Ice Cream, reaching out a hand subconsciously for the other, before Axe gave the signal and they jumped.

Axe appeared above the trio, slamming down upon two guards. Arno jumped and hit into the last man's back having slightly misjudged his timing but still downing the third. Arno looked to his right and saw him.

Bernard René Jourdan.

Templar.

Suddenly all the talk of the mob taking the Templar out flew from his mind. He stalked up to his target, locking his eyes onto the others beady little ones, hidden blade drawn. The other in all his finery looked slightly startled before he narrowed his eyes, recognition on his face. The power Arno currently had beginning to make him power drunk, but he didn't care. The man before him was a Templar. A filthy Templar. One he _knew_. Arno felt all the anger, all the pain coursing through his body and oh how it made him feel _SO_ powerful. It would be easy to just down this one, why did the crowd have that pleasure? Arno saw an Axe glint out of the corner of his eye which made his brain mentally slap him, reminding him he was on a mission. But nothing wrong with having a bit of fun, he mused, making a show of confidently walking up to Jourdan but before he reached the Templar he withdrew the hidden blade and casually snuffed the lit match out with his palm, smirking.

Damn, it was good to be an Assassin.

He turned and saw Green Coat motioned to Ice Cream and they both turned, Axe joining them as they walked away before leaping up the walls. It was a few seconds before the door below them burst open and the crowd appeared.

The Assassins didn't have to look at the scene behind them, the shouting told them everything.

All four caught their breath, reaching the top of the wall, looking out over the scene of Paris. Each was silent, all beginning to come to terms with what just happened. Cooling their minds and bodies before they began on the last stage of their mission; making sure the way home was safe.

But as they stood, the wind coursing through the ends of their red sashes and long coat tails they wore, all were united by one thought:

The Bastille was no more.

~

“Good work, lad.”

Arno looked over, a small smirk at his mentor that he could not contain on his face, adrenaline still running through his veins, as Ice Cream on his other side tapped him on the elbow in agreement, looking tired but pleased.

“But could do better,” Axe called as he began his decent into the streets, Ice Cream jumping down to follow their leader.

Arno's smile faded.

”Better?” he said incredulously, knowing the man was jesting with him, but still, the faults of his own fighting beginning to invade his mind as he replayed a few moments from the battle over and over again in his head, before moving forwards, seeing a platform below, resigning himself to follow-

_What the hell._

Green Coat was staring at him, not having moved from his position on the top of the wall. His teeth were clenched, as were his fists, nostrils flared, breathing heavily. But it wasn't the usual distaste that Arno saw on his face.

It was pure hatred.

Arno felt the power from the battle spike within himself, still swimming through his head heavily as he made a snap judgment and made to move back up the wall. He had enough of that look. Green Coat had never said why he was so abhorred towards him but whatever that idiot had against him he was going to sort this out now once and fall all _, even if he had to beat it out of him-_

"Arno, get your arse down here!"

Arno stopped at Axe's voice, the shouting from the inner court yard was still echoing around the Bastille as he shut his eyes and looked over to where Ice Cream and Axe were waiting. Arno closed his eyes again and breathed in slowly and deliberately, trying to get his raging temper back under control before he turned to the other Assassin. But Green Coat was already jumping down another part of the scaffolding.

The group made their way back through the streets, now as a group, as any guards that were patrolling the area were guaranteed to either be heading towards the Bastille or already there.

Arno felt his body coming down very slowly from the high of the fight, but what happened at the top of the wall still weighing heavy on his mind. Every now and again, as they ran jumping over roofs and down alley ways, he looked over at Green Coat whom was running next to Ice Cream to see if the man would give some indication of what just happened. But all he saw were the glances that the green and white coated Assassins shared to each other on the journey back to the apartment and, no sooner had they arrived, then Green Coat had literally pulled Ice Cream into their shared room and slammed the door shut behind them, bolting it with a loud "clunk".

Axe snorted.

“Typical,” he said as he watched Arno stop and look puzzlingly at the door.

Axe waved a hand.

“Leave 'em.”

~

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moon: Huzzah for the Assassin's Creed Unity trailer!  
> Wings: I think you all know what's gonna happen in the next chapter with Ice Cream and Green Coat, hur hur ;) 
> 
> History Lesson:  
> The Storming of the Bastille was momentous. After a delegation from the crowd outside the Bastille had not returned from its bargaining talks inside the fortress, the people grew impatient at the Bastille commander's dithering. When the commander decided to open fire on the rowdy mob, that was when the storming began. Later the Bastille was dismantled, brick by brick and thus is no longer visible today, however, the foundation stones can still be found. According to Wikipedia, some stones were found during the construction of the modern metro in Paris and were moved to "Boulevard Henri IV and the Quai de Celestins, where they can still be seen today."


	5. (E)The Lover's Aftermath.

**WARNING: The following chapter contains explicit sexual content from the start.**

~

Green Coat turned the lock with an iron like grip, breathing heavily, his hands shaking. He stared at the metal, fingers still gripped onto the dull key and handle of the door as his emotions swirled around his head. _That arrogant cock. That utter idiot! Who the hell did Arno think he was?!_   Green's voice echoed around his head, slamming into his very core. Axe had _told_ him, told _all_ of them, _not_ to kill their target. Fair enough, Arno didn't actually take the Templar's life, but to damn well play around like that was _not_ on. They were Assassins, not God damn showmen, and what that little toe rag had done was completely unacceptable. In the time he took to display his arrogant ego like some puffed up peacock, they all could have been up the wall by then, not having to cut it so close that they barely made it up the first rung of scaffolding before the mob breached the door to the inner court yard. And the gun powder...the _bloody_ gunpowder! That was never going to be underground, secretly hidden away. The spy inside the Bastille that Ice Cream had confidence in was a double agent and evidently told the Templar, Bernard René Jourdan, that the Assassins were coming. Why else would the powder horde be where it was and _open?_

He clenched his eyes shut for a moment, thoughts becoming too quick for him to decipher before he opened them again and looked up, casting his eyes around at the door, trying to mentally ground himself. Finally, he turned to see a slightly startled looking Ice Cream standing behind him. Green Coat looked into the eyes of his partner. He was so grateful to have the man by his side. But...Ice Cream had deviated from their planned route up the inner wall, to cast a glace over at the other two Assassins below them and a good thing he had too. The man had saved not only Axe's life but that of Arno, but he had been forced to pause, exposing himself, spending too long leaning away from the wall to get the Phantom Blade into position, for if a rogue sentry had seen him and taken aim...

“Green, is everything alri-?”

Ice Cream never finished as suddenly the other made for him.

All of Green Coat's emotions came crashing down upon him in a violent torrent, fueled by the high of battle still working it's way through his psyche, as he closed the gap between them, casting off his hidden blades onto the floor with a clatter before he slammed his lips against the others. He pushed the shocked Assassin back, until the latter's back legs hit the edge of their shared bed and both tumbled onto it, the mattress bouncing slightly from the sudden weight of the two Assassins upon it.

Green Coat straddled Ice Cream, leaning down, pulling at the white shirt collar at the others neck, feeling the adrenaline still racing around his system, faster and faster, as he lent down and suckled on the soft skin he found there. Ice Cream gave out an involuntary cry of pleasure making Green Coat grunt as he felt himself harden instantly at the sound. The smell of the other was sending him crazy, mingled with smoke and sweat-

“Hnn...!” Ice moaned, turning his head to the side, exposing more of the skin there, allowing Green Coat more access. He squeezed his eyes shut, instinctively spreading his legs wider as his partner slid his hand down his side, a gloved hand rubbing over thick coat material, moving up to press more of his body against the other Assassin. Ice Cream arched his back, beginning to pant as his body responded strongly to the man above him.

Green Coat surged with anger, fear, lust, relief and all the emotions in between, as they all clambered for space in his head, feeling them take over, sending him over the edge. The thought that Ice Cream had put himself in danger to save the others was thrust to the front of Green Coats mind, staying there among the noise. Each of them would take a bullet for the other Assassins in their group, but when it came to his lover, Green Coat just couldn't help how protective he felt. Ice Cream wasn't like anyone he had ever met, in every sense of the word. In the midst of battle, just how utterly unyielding and unwavering he was in the face of danger, when Green Coat knew full well how much Ice Cream hid his true self away. Others who, when they had done nothing but shower pain down upon him, had responded with a smile, never once showing malice even if, in Green Coat's mind, it was deserved.

“Gr-Green...I...I, ah!”

Ice Cream was silenced as Green captured the hand that was balled up on the side of his emerald cowl, ripping it away and slamming the man's gloved wrist down onto the sheets above his head. He needed to move into position. He needed to take the Assassin now, for if he didn't, he feared the fire inside of him would consume them both. Green Coat moved over to the other side of Ice Cream's neck, the other feeling his body shudder in all consuming pleasure. The dark haired man ground against the other, as the Assassin's face below him began to tinge with pink, his wordless moaning becoming a catalyst for the other.

He couldn't take it anymore.

Green Coat let go of Ice Cream's wrist, hurriedly ripped off his own gloves, throwing them aside before one hand went back to that slender wrist as the other reached down between them, pushing aside Ice Cream's tanned over coat, as he undid the others trousers swiftly, slipping a hand in between clothing and skin.

"AHH!" Ice Cream shouted suddenly, his free hand snapping to the others wrist at his crotch, watching as Green pressed his fingers in. The Assassin felt Ice Cream pull at his wrist, increasing the pressure of the sensual and invading touch.

“Nn, m-more, please!”

Green Coat looked down and saw with a thrill the other was ready. He lent back, both hands now frantically trying to tear at the heavy tanned over coat below him.

He had been terrified. Utterly terrified. The image and stench of the gun powder still fresh in his mind and it was not going away any time soon. They had both been at the mercy of their damned target until the other two Assassins had shown up. And Ice Cream, well, he had just stood there, _glaring._ As if daring their target to light the fuse. Green Coat felt shocked and disgusted with himself at how much guilt sunk into his gut when he realized he easily forgot just how dangerous his lover could be, the former always laughing and being very much as sweet as his nickname, being equally as quiet, shy and humble. But in that moment, in that one second, piercing the fog of blood lust that filled everyone within the Bastille, he saw how beyond brave Ice Cream truly was. But not only that, how he himself had momentarily cracked inside the inner court yard and moved over to that man, to shield him if their target so desired to blow them all to hell.

In that moment, that one awe inspiring vision, he saw how powerful, strong and determined Ice Cream was. It disturbed him that all this time he thought it was himself who was protecting the other. That Ice Cream was below him and needed protecting. Speaking on his behalf when at the Assassin's _Le Grande Rassemblement_ , making decisions for them both on missions, but most of all making sure others never came too close to him... When in fact, at the Bastille, Ice Cream was the one protecting _him_.

And to now have that very same man under him, trembling in pleasure between his thighs sent Green Coat's brain into over drive.

He couldn't think straight any more, the sounds of the guards playing in his head, over and over, the smell of smoke lingering on both their clothes and bodies only served to send him further into a lust filled madness as he ripped the Assassin metal logo buckle from the others waist band in one powerful move, and threw the belt aside so fast that it hit the nearby wall with a thud. He was drowning in an over load of senses. All he knew was that he wanted him, wanted to be inside him. Wanted to make sure no one made the mistake that Ice Cream wasn't as powerful as his timid temperament made him out to be. He wanted to make sure no one made the mistake of thinking Ice Cream was helpless. How dare that Templar think he could hold their lives in the palm of his hands. _They_ were the _Assassins_. Not the other fucking way around _and dear God why was this coat so fucking difficult to UNDO?!-_

He began to be aware of soft gloves on his bare hands.

Green Coat stopped momentarily, breathing fast, looking up from his position on top of Ice Cream who was looking at him like there was no one else in the word.

Something akin to clarity began to bloom in Green Coat's mind at his lover's blue eyes, through the intense and thick lustful fog swirling around his body. He looked back down at the touch, how the others hand closed around his own with such warmth and reassurance. It was gentle, calming and tender.

Just like the man himself.

Green Coat could feel his heart beating fast, as his lust crazed brain began to cool, squeezing his eyes shut and trying everything in his power not be taken over by the feelings vying for dominance. It was only a few seconds later that he was aware that Ice Cream was pressing his lips ever so gently to his.

_You don't have to be frightened anymore, the battle is over._

Green Coat began to moan into the kiss, his mind beginning to be mercifully consumed by the others touches, as he felt the other take off his own brown gloves, the Phantom Blade going with it, free hands now pushing back his green cowl, fingers tangled in his messy jet black hair. He did the same, hands leaving Ice Cream's crotch, slowly taking down the tanned hood and planting kisses along the others cheek bones, the top of his ears and then into the man's tussled brown-copper hair. He thrust into Ice Cream's crotch as the other rose to meet him. Both feasted on each other, as Ice Cream's hands came up in between them both to help unbuckle Green. Green Coat felt the lust for his partner come back at full force, this time without the anger and fear of post-battle, and pulled his partner's cowl aside, pulling the white collar down and began to suck once again on Ice Cream's neck whom instantly cried out, so far gone now was he that he didn't try to suppress his sounds any longer. Green Coat could feel the other quivering under him and it quickened his desire, the smell of sweat, smoke, dirt and the others unique smell, almost like Vanilla, seeping into every sense, as the outside world dissolved away entirely.

With a more few tugs to the others trousers, and Ice Cream lifting up his hips, Green Coat wasted no time in lining himself up to the others entrance.

Ice Cream bit down hard on the right shoulder guard of the man above him, stifling a muffled cry as the Assassin entered him.

Green Coat began slow, forcing his hips to make shallow thrusts at first, not wanting to hurt his lover, but it wasn't long before Green Coat finally buried himself up to the hilt, gasping. God, it always amazed him that the Assassin could take all of him in. Ice Cream arched his back, gritting his teeth as Green, again, drove inside him, face becoming red, breathing becoming labored. The slightly taller Assassin continued to make breathless sobs as he desperately tried to hold onto to his dark haired partner, arms wrapped around the Assassin's neck, face now pressed against an emerald shoulder pad, trying to keep a hold of the yelps he was making. But as the Assassin above him grabbed his hips, he screwed his eyes shut as he knew what was going to happen next.

 He willed himself not to just let go and fuck the Assassin senseless, but the more Ice Cream's strangled moans sounded next to his ear, it was taking every bit of his strength not too as he began to mentally drown in the sound. He buried his nose against the side of Ice Cream's neck as a detached part of his brain reminded him he had to keep his own sounds of base need quiet, least Axe or Arno hear them as he began to pound into the Assassin under him. Soon the only thing he knew was this all consuming and madding need for the Assassin under him. The vision of gun powder returning to slam against his thoughts suddenly, mingled with Ice Cream's muffled cries was sending him towards that edge of blinding pleasure.

He was close, _so_ close.

He felt the other suddenly tighten around him, Ice Cream arching his back in a sudden gasp that turned into a strangled shout, body shuddering in an all powerful orgasm. It took only a second for Green Coat to register but it was too late and his own vision went white as he spilled his seed deep into the Assassin. All the remaining anger, fear and relief transforming into an catalyst of ecstasy for both of them, each tumbling into the abyss that neither wanted to leave, both vulnerable and in that moment united as one.

~

Green Coat collapsed onto Ice Cream, panting heavily as his own orgasm subsided. The familiar smell of Vanilla beginning to soothing him once more, as he felt gentle kisses around the side of his forehead. He lifted his head slightly from the sheets, beads of sweat running down his temple, plastering strands of black hair to his cheeks as he turned his head to the side, his own dark brown eyes gazing into impossibly sky blue ones.

They pressed their foreheads together, both gasping for air, as sweat ran down both their backs and fronts, dampening their already filthy coats and shirts.

Making love in their Assassin Uniforms was definitely on his top list of favourite things to do, although considering it was the middle of July and they had just finished a mission, perhaps it was best saved for the winter, Green Coat mused.

But then just having the other Assassin in his arms was all he truly needed.

Green Coat slowly pushed himself up and gazed down at his very disheveled partner, who was panting, cheeks scarlet and looking every bit as attractive and ravished as ever. But he didn't miss the beginning of sharp intakes of breath from the other, as he saw Ice Cream wince, feeling the Assassin under him shifting his hips.

It was then he realized with immense shame just how needy he had been as a hot and painful knot began to develop in the pit of his stomach.

“I'm...I'm so sorry,” panted Green Coat, breathing hard and swallowing as he placed a hand to the side of the Assassin's sweat drenched face tenderly, brushing away some stray damp locks.

“You weren't ready...”

“For you...", Ice Cream smiled leaning into the touch, opening up his eyes. “I am always ready. ”

Green Coat smiled tenderly as he watched Ice Cream nuzzle his hand. He loved and cared for Ice Cream more deeply than he had ever thought possible about anyone and now felt intense guilt and shame for the desperation and selfishness of his actions. He was constantly surprised at the effect the other had on him. He had actively let Ice Cream lead the charge to the Bastille, better to see him in front than behind should anything go wrong, he had reasoned. And the other had not only raced him up the wall but had not wavered once. When he had seen the guards in the hall way he went at them with everything he had. He shuddered once again to think what would have happened if Ice Cream hadn't seen Axe and not engaged the phantom blade.

Green Coat very slowly pulled himself out of the other and collapsed onto his side, pulling an exhausted Ice Cream into the safety of his arms. He closed his eyes, also utterly exhausted, both mentally and physically, feeling the Assassin on his chest cuddling close.

The two lovers laid like that, both catching their breaths, safe and warm in each others embrace. All the tension, fear and relief from the storming of the Bastille, gone.

The world around them began to slowly come back into to Green's senses. The twenty-one year old could hear Axe and Arno moving around somewhere in the living area. He blearily and very slowly looked over to the shut door, eyes half lidded, to see that it was still safely locked.

Green Coat hugged the other closer to himself, burring his nose in light brown copper hair. He couldn't imagine his life without the other, so integral to his own was he. What Ice Cream's life had been before becoming an Assassin, he never knew, only that he and Axe had known each other prior. To this day Ice Cream never spoke of his past. All Green Coat knew was Axe had been the one to introduced the shy man into the Order.

He felt Ice Cream's breathing deepen, muscles relaxing in slumber against his chest. Green Coat too, close his eyes, rubbing a thumb absentmindedly over the Assassin's arm, letting the delicious lull of sleep pull him under too.

~

Green Coat had never forgotten the moment he had met Ice Cream.

He had just turned eighteen when he was sworn into the Brotherhood as a full assassin. His novice days had been hard; his mentor was ruthless if not strict in his tutoring. When he fell, the older and heavily bearded Assassin would haul him up by the scruff of his neck and force him to march onwards, bellowing that nothing could waver a _true_ Assassin, especially one like him, having been born directly into it. He was constantly reminded he had a lineage to live up too, so he's better get used to it. Be it in the rain, sleet, snow...it didn't matter to the axe carrying brute of a teacher when their training took place. But Green Coat remembered the moment his mentor had finally nodded at his success of becoming a qualified Assassin. He hated to admit it but... he owed a lot to the larger Assassin in the next room.

He even owed it to him for the man that was currently sleeping in his arms.

The young Green Coat had been very weary of Ice Cream at first, as was his prerogative. Being an Assassin in training since birth had always put him on guard around others not born directly into the Creed. At times, even those already inside it. Once, he had been trying to avoid Axe's lecture about something or other, the man had so many these days it was difficult keeping track. Or avoiding the throng of people who were continuously congratulating him on his technical inventions and know-how of pick-safe-locks and pulleys. He did admit to having a lofty opinion of himself at that age, especially when he was given the go ahead to install his new door lock designs inside the huge Assassin Parisian HQ. The one on his own bedroom door, however, was a later version. One he had tinkered on for many hours to get it just right; triple cogs and nuts made his door the most well sealed in the entire building. Not that he needed such a lock, but it did wonders for his ego to know that he could make such a contraption. So deep in his own thoughts was he that the teen almost didn't notice a shadow following him. Green Coat had stopped in the middle of the large corridor, spun and pulled out his gun straight into the face of a very startled man.

"Give me one good reason not to shoot you where you stand."

"...I was trying, but have evidently failed, to tail you."

Green Coat narrowed his eyes, momentously distracted by how crystal blue the others eyes were.

"Why?"

"...Monsieur Axe has-"

Green lowered his weapon with a growl, looking away, highly annoyed. His mentor had sent yet _another_ Novice, a very inept Novice by the looks of it, to spy on him.

Idiot.

Didn't the man know sending new recruits to him was utterly grating? He was tired of being the "test" tracking subject for them. Being the one Assassin a bunch of still wet behind the ears bunch of whelps took to following around to practice their stalking skills? Obviously the beating he gave to the last one that gave him lip didn't make much of a difference to Axe's lesson plan.

Green Coat looked back at the man, sheathing his gun back into it's holster, while secretly still not believing someone could have eyes that blue.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Ice Cream-"

Green Coat snorted.

"What kind of name is that?"

"One you'd do well to respect."

Green Coat paused before narrowing his eyes.

_Oh, this one had guts, he'd give him that._

"You're not an Assassin."

"You're right, I'm not. I am a Novice-"

"Never a truer word spoken."

The man's face suddenly hardened.

"..and I am studying under Monsieur Axe."

Green Coat scoffed, looking away once more, still not believing those eyes to be real. So this was the man who was Axe's next protégé. Well, that didn't take him long. Looked like he had just dragged the nearest farmer off the fields to fill that gap from the looks of things. Green Coat looked back scrutinizing the man before him. He squinted at the others appearance.

"A trifle bit old to be an apprentice, aren't we?"

"I specialize in Lock Picking."

Green Coat yawned.

"And I am not _old_."

"I bet you couldn't pick your way out of a nose, old man."

The taller man went silent.

"Well, Monsieur Blancmange-"

" _Ice Cream_."

"-if your tracking of me is anything to go by, then I'd say we are unlikely to ever meet again. Good luck with your "Lock Picking", try not to break too many tooth picks in the mess haul with it."

He had walked away, smirking at the non-important-Novice with a dismissive wave of his hand. He was a full Assassin now, he didn't have to spend any time with his old mentor's new play thing. Sure, he had to check in with the older bearded man from time to time, report mission finding etc, but he was his own man now. His own _Assassin_ , now.

Seven hours later he was regretting those words immensely when he awoke to find Ice Cream sitting at the foot of his bed, his once proud intricate bedroom door lock mangled beyond belief swinging from the man's finger tips. He said nothing as the other, nonchalantly, tossed the contraption over and it landed heavily in between Green Coat's legs, before leaving saying, "I'm impressed, it took me ten whole minutes to pick that."

Green Coat had then made a unanimous point of avoiding the insane Lock Picker.

But then over time something odd began to happen.

He wanted to see those blue eyes again.

But it was difficult as that idiot was constantly shadowing Axe around the place.

Green Coat began to begrudgingly look forward to reporting in to his ex-mentor, if only to see the nearby Lock Picker and quickly look at his eyes again. Justifying it as a curious itch he needed to scratch. Nothing more. But then soon afterwards he began looking for the other wherever he went; in passing in the HQ, at meeting points and during the others training in the yard. A year passed and he found himself still oddly drawn in like a magnet, making excuses to find the man, if only to have the pleasure of watching him from afar. Once, Ice Cream had caught the younger man tailing him, ironically laughing at the flipped situation, minus a gun pointed at either of their heads. Green Coat had excused it that he simply wanted to know more about the advanced tools the other used in his lock picking. Which was true enough, the slender picks and hooks the other had were of great interest to him... As the days and months continued, the two started to forge a tentative friendship over a common love of gears, cogs, springs and contraptions. It was a while later that Green Coat had enough confidence in pushing his huge pride and ego aside, to put in a request to be paired up with the Assassin for missions.

And the rest was history.

~

The Assassin in his arms awoke with a pleasant sigh, moving his head to look up, as Green Coat, tilted his to look down, opening his eyes, noses brushing.

“Come here...,” Ice Cream whispered and Green Coat obeyed as the other pressed soft lips to his.

No hints of lust, anger or fear.

Just pure and simple tenderness.

The kiss parted, both smiling, nuzzling the other in bliss.

Soon afterwards, both now having fully caught their breaths back, they took stock of their state of undress. Ideally they never wanted to move for times like these were always treasured. Mostly saved for nights or stolen moments when they were alone. This afternoon was a rare chance both took with eagerness. But after hearing light footstep creaking on the floorboards near the door, no doubt Arno from the sounds of it, on his way to the bathroom, made Ice Cream sit up slowly, the other following, reaching over help him out of his heavy coat, buckles and belts. It was early afternoon, but the group of Assassin's hadn't eaten or debriefed yet on the Bastille. No doubt the others were going to wonder where they were...

Green Coat helped the other out of his clothes and saw evidence of his essence caking the others inner thighs, the sight making his ego purr in pure delight.

Ice Cream helped the other Assassin out of his trousers, over coats and boots. When they had finished, Green Coat gently nudged the other over to the wash area, across on the other side of the room where a couple of wooden stools sat waiting. Both of them were filthy and sweaty, not only from the storming of the Bastille but from their later lustful actions. Was probably best to clean themselves before going back to the group.

Green Coat walked over to the snuffed out fire, and filled the wash bucket with still warm water from the early morning's boiled pot, before walking over to the other, both naked in the natural light that came streaming in from the high ceiling windows.

“You won.”

Ice Cream looked up at Green Coat, eyes wide in slight confusion, as he stood up from moving the small wooden stools.

“Excuse me?”

“The race up the wall of the Bastille. You won it.”

Realization came to Ice Cream's face with a small “oh”.

Green nodded smiling, motioning him to sit on the small wooden stool now behind the Assassin.

Ice Cream moved over and sat down, feeling his equally naked partner moving to sit down behind him. The dark haired Assassin soaked the thick wash cloth in the warm water, before bring it up and beginning to run the warm wet cloth down the others back. Earlier lust full actions were replaced with gentle touches and sensitive whispers as he rubbed the cloth up and down the others back, taking pleasure in seeing gleaming skin beneath dirt and grim, watching as small goosebumps rose. He loved hearing Ice Cream sigh in pleasure as the warm water cascaded down his peach skin-

“Thank you...”

Green Coat looked up.

“For what?”

Ice Cream looked behind him, his long wavy hair falling in strands around him, semi confined in a loose pony tail, looking deep into the others eyes.

“For protecting me against the gun powder.”

Suddenly a feeling of protectiveness like he had never felt before washed over him with such force that Green Coat dropped the cloth into the bucket with a splash and pressed his lips to his lover's shoulder, wrapping his arms around Ice Cream tightly, who leaned back into touch, kissing the side of the others face.

The two sat like that, in each others arms where they belonged, breathing in the other. They didn't need to say anything more, their bodies told the story.

They had survived.

~


	6. The Jitters.

~

“Leave 'em.”

Arno had walked back over to his bed, after Axe had scoffed, waving his hand dismissively. The ex-templar began to unbuckled his weapons, hidden blades and the like, placing them on the table with shaking hands, taking off his over coat that stank of smoke, and his layers of shirts, dumping them over the side of the metal frame of his bed. He quickly leaned over to the wash pot, grabbing a cloth to wipe his neck and arms, feeling it sooth him.

“Feeling on edge, lad?”

Arno threw the cloth back into the water with a splosh, beginning to walk around the room, flexing his shoulders and fingers, trying to come down from the post battle high. The twenty-one year old flexed his neck from side to side, pacing to and fro.

“Just a tad.”

Axe nodded, putting down his own weapons.

“Happens to those at your age.”

The Assassin leader moved his other heavy clothes off of a spare chair, throwing them onto his sofa-bed, gathering another chair up in his left hand, and pulled the two chairs out into the middle of the room.

Arno watched the large man as he continued to pace, feelings of apprehension still swimming in his gut, mixed with heightened senses and questions on Green Coat's much more intense look at him from the top of the Bastille's wall. Arno changed his direction and began to walk over to the bearded Assassin. He needed something, needed to engage...maybe if he went out back and beat the crap out of the straw effigy it would release him from this pressing need.

"I can tell just from looking at 'ya that all that drive is still goin' through 'ya body. It's got to come out somewhere-"

Arno halted as sudden muffled cry came from the wall to his right.

"What was that?" the young man said, stopping his pacing briefly, frowning at the wall.

"Nothin', was probably the wind-"

The cry came again, this time it was unmistakeably Ice Cream's voice.

"That sounds like Ice Cream..." Arno said, frowning and turning to Axe, looking for confirmation.

Axe looked up at the wall with a bored expression.

"The sods probably gone and stubbed his toe again, he tends to do that a lot."

Arno was only barely listening to the older man as he waited for any further sounds coming from the wall, but heard nothing more.

“When I were training the young-ins in the Order," Axe said, scratching his beard thoughtfully, as Arno's eyes came back to him. "They would have all this pent up energy from fightin' battles out in the field, that once they got back to the HQ, were still suffering from."

Arno looked at Axe, eyebrow raised, tapping his foot rapidly against the floorboards.

Axe nodded to the action.

" "The Jitters" as I calls it.”

Arno got the message and forced his foot to stop, only to find his fists began to curl and uncurl by themselves.

" 'ya need to come down from it."

Axe beckoned and Arno complied as he wondered over to the table and chairs, curious at what the other was planning.

"Doesn't happen so much when you get to my age," the bearded Assassin laughed, sitting down with grunt on the nearest chair to him.

" 'ya learn to control it; The sign of a seasoned Assassin."

Arno raised an eye brow again as he realized what the other was indeed planning, looking at the empty table and chair across from the man.

“You want me to arm wrestle with you?”

“Is that a problem?”

Arno laughed, shaking his arms out, beginning to subconsciously pace in a circle once again.

“I can tell who is going to win just by looking at your arms, mate.”

Axe smirked.

“True. But that the ain't point...," the Assassin said, putting his right elbow on the table, lower arm up in the air, waiting.

Arno looked at that thick arm. The skin he saw there in the midday light was still flecked with dirt and grime from the fighting at the Bastille. The older man was right, Arno had to admit, he was feeling so damn...well, "jittery" since leaving the fort. Running back to the apartment had tempered off some of that edge but Arno could still feel restlessness at the fringes of his mind. The thought of the day's storming, fighting and confrontations brought that same tainted energy back up into Arno's throat, the blood lust that was still running around his veins finally took over at the challenge presented before him.

He sat down swiftly and grabbed the others hand, eyes flashing.

"On the count of three."

" Cout' a three."

"One..."

"Two-"

A loud thump of metal hitting a wall was heard.

Arno looked up from his fist, frowning angrily, over at the wall to his right.

"What on _earth_ are they doing in there?"

"Redecorating," Axe said before he gripped Arno's fingers in a painful vice, making the other wince, returning his attention back to the table.

"Three!"

~

Arno pushed all his strength into his hand, as he felt his leader push back against his palm. Arno Dorian's mind zeroing in on Axe's grip. He grunted, pushing against the other man, clenching his teeth, the action making his brain begin to stir up those remnants of blood lust into a frenzy, faster and faster it spun around his head. More and more he pushed, staring hard at his hand, feeding all the remaining power of storming the Bastille into his arms, wrist and fingers, as Axe held his ground. Arno could feel his hearing becoming mute at the pressure building up in his head, as he gripped the edge of the wooden table with his other hand, trying to find something to add more leverage. His hand began to shake as he looked away, scrunching his eyes shut, grunting with the effort.

Suddenly Axe's head snapped round a something across from them; Arno only dully aware of a loud and strangled shout coming from the room next door, before he seized his chance and threw all his energy into his right hand, watching as Axe's arm gave way as he slammed the back of his leader's hand and arm onto the table with a loud thwack.

"HA!" Arno shouted, breathing hard as he fell back into his seat, triumphantly grinning from ear to ear. He had done it; bested Axe at his own game. And, he had to admit, his mental clarity was...damn, it _was_ a bit clear-er now. But as he looked up at the older man, waiting to see the others reaction, he paused.

Axe was looking across at the wall and seemed...annoyed?

Before Arno could ask, The Axe Assassin turned to him nodding, looking distracted.

"Good work, lad...feel better?"

Arno flexed his hand, cracked his neck, feeling all the tension finally seeping away.

"Greatly so."

"Good. Now go and sleep it off."

Both men rose from their chairs.

Arno, now feeling much more grounded and clear headed, not to mentioned knackard out of his skull; went and plopped down onto his bed, collapsing onto the sheets. " _The Jitters"_...he didn't know there was such a thing. Granted, after a few missions with the other Assassins, he found he enjoyed the high of finishing a tracking task, or lock picking his way into some building. But blood lust was beyond potent and, now he had had his first experience, realized Axe had done a very clever thing in calming him down. Although, why he was looking annoyed, escaped the him. Perhaps the older man was sore a younger assassin had beaten him...Arno yawned, as he closed his eyes, the room now silent except for Axe moving around.

~

He was unsure how long he dozed for, but awoke when he heard a floor board creak, looking up, expecting to see Axe but instead he caught sight of Ice Cream entering the room. He looked up from his bed, beginning to raise a hand in greeting but his face soon fell at what he saw.

Ice Cream was limping.

“Are you injured?”

“Oh!" Ice Cream said, jumping slightly at the sound. "Bonjour Arno, sorry I... didn't see you there...erm...,” he said with a small smile, scratching the back of his head, picking up a couple of apples from the bowl nearby.

“A slightly pulled muscle I'm afraid. I took a running jump at the wall a bit too fast during the storming...”

Arno nodded, frowning slightly as the white shirted and brown trouser-ed Assassin moved back to the corridor he had come from.

"We heard sounds coming from your room."

Ice Cream stopped dead in his tracks, slowly turning to Arno, blinking.

"Is everything alright?"

"Oh, that, um...I stubbed my toe on a rogue floor board. Embarrassing, I know. This place is full of 'em."

Arno smiled.

"Axe said-"

The twenty one year old looked across the room but found it Axe-Man less.

"...as much."

Arno worried his brow, finishing his sentence before looking back at the other Assassin.

"Worst pain imaginable," the taller one said staunchly, waving his hand across in front of him in a slicing motion.

Arno chuckled as he waved goodbye to the other, as Ice Cream returned to his room.

The youngster looked over again and saw the room was indeed empty. Hmm, maybe Axe had gone to get them some cooked food. God, he hoped it wasn't fish again...

~

 Arno was testing out his hidden blade a day later. He flicked the device's pulley and the blade shot out with a " _snick"_. He checked it over, finding no dents or spoils, as he got a spare cloth and began to polish it. When he had finished, he pulled the lever again and the blade snapped back. This was such a clever device the Assassins had, he pondered, although he knew from his own experience the Templars had their own menagerie of hidden blade type weapons. Arno put both, now newly polished, hidden blades away and stood up with a slight huff. Time to pass water. He walked over to the small corridor that lead to the two other rooms in the apartment, automatically stepping over the stuck out floor board with white chalk on it, no doubt put there to give a visual warning of it's presence. Not that it did any good in the middle of the night, Arno's left toe would murmur if it could talk. As he approached the door he looked over at the one opposite. Ice Cream and Green Coat had kept to themselves for most of the day. He heard them talking and laughing about...well, what ever they were talking and laughing about. The muffled words of cogs and gears he had managed to catch in passing were vague to Arno's ears; they were probably nattering on about technical matters.

When he had finished, Arno washed his hands and as he left the bathroom he was aware the apartment was oddly silent. He could hear shuffling around in the other Assassin's room but the air was devoid of voices. Until he heard a very loud laugh from Ice Cream, braking the silence. Arno shook his head, Ice Cream was so...well, Ice Cream, as he made his way back to the living area, realizing that there was now a lot of sound coming from the entrance door as it slammed shut.

Arno returned to the living area to see, with a start, Axe moving around in a blind panic.

"Hey, what's going on-"

"Pack your bags, we've been compromised."

"What, compromised?!"

The large Axe Asassin pointed to the window, growling "don't let them see you", as Arno quickly went to the side of the window pane. He leaned out slightly from where he was standing to peak down through the net curtains, seeing a group of armed guards beginning to mass outside of their apartment building. He squinted as he saw they had similar outfits to the guards over at the Bastille, and these too had threatening bayonets. Arno saw Mrs Breton from the apartment across from them, storm up to the soldiers, on her way back from market it seemed, as she angrily shouted at the men who were stopping her from entering her home.

"Get the other two. NOW!"

The ex-templar didn't wait as he bolted for the corridor, leaving a sweating Axe in the living room, jumping over the white powered lose floor board and coming to a stop at the shared Assassin's room. He knocked on the door of Green Coat's and Ice Cream's room loudly.

"ICE CREAM! GREEN COAT! OPEN UP!"

There was a pregnant pause, before the sounds of locks, heavy ones at that, being undone echoed in the narrow space.

Arno frowned, confused. He never knew they had so many locks on their door...

It was a few seconds later before the door finally opened, albeit slightly, revealing an exhausted, but pleased looking Ice Cream.

"Hello, Arno, sorry you've, um...caught us at a bad time...," he said breathlessly, his white shirt semi-undone at the top.

The boy stopped, seeing the others face slightly red and out of breath, the image making Arno's witty side come out to play.

"What are you two doing in there, shagging?" Arno scoffed, laughing at his own joke.

Before Ice Cream could reply, the door was suddenly wrenched open and Green Coat appeared next to him, hair equally as messy, white shirt hanging out of his trousers, face like thunder.

"What do you want, piss-pot?"

Arno paused, taking in the icy stare and his disheveled appearance. Somewhere in his brain Arno took stock of the amusing fact that Green Coat was slightly shorter than Ice Cream and himself-wait, what the hell did he just call him?

Arno hardened his face, all traces of humor evaporating on the spot.

"We've been compromised."

"What?!" Ice Cream said, shoving the door open wide now, pushing past Green Coat and Arno as he dashed into the corridor and made for the living room. Green Coat followed, running, tailed by Arno as all three men ran back into the living area, boots stampeding across the wooden floor.

"Axe, what?"

"You all 'ave thirty seconds before they start smashing that bloody door down!"

The other two didn't wait for the Axe-carrying-man to finished as they bolted back to their shared room.

Arno looked to his left and right, momentarily confused and paralyzed at what to do. He looked and saw his hidden blades on the side, grabbing at them and strapping them clumsily to his arms. He crouched down, pulling his travel bag out with one motion and slammed it onto the bed, throwing belts, paper and anything he could find into it.

"Twenty...!" Axe shouted, as he finished collecting his own things together, grabbed the ripped large paining of the orchestra that was by a side door before jumping down the stairs with it, slamming the edge of the golden frame under the door knob, jamming it.

Arno continued to throw everything he saw around him into his bag, not caring if they were dirty or clean, his, Axe's, Ice Cream's or Green Coat's. Finally, he pulled the string on the top of the bag tightly into a knot. Arno just about finished wrapping his assassin cloak around himself, fastening the waist belt and his weapon's holster at lighting speed when Axe's voice slammed into his ears from the stair-well, the front door knob shaking and rattling.

"TEN!" Axe roared, as he ran back up the stairs, yanking down a large painting of King Louis XVI from the fire place that, had not only been drawn all over in black ink, but was sporting a very handsome and long mustache.

"Pardon your Majesty," Axe said, as he slammed the inner door to the stairs shut with one hand, bolting it, and used the portrait to jam the second door shut from the inside, just as he heard an explosion from at the bottom of the stair well, the voices of guards shouting triumphantly.

"Where?!" shouted Arno, above the noise downstairs as he could hear Mrs Breton's voice now shrieking for the guards to get out of her house.

Axe grabbed his bag, slung it over his shoulder, kissed the room goodbye with his hand before running to the narrow corridor.

"Follow me, lad!"

As they both ran into the narrow space, Arno saw Ice Cream and Green Coat dash out from their room in front of them, now fully dressed, each with their own traveling bag strapped to their backs. He caught sight of their room as they all ran to the end of the passage. Damn, looked like he lucked out, their bed was huge-

Arno stopped dead.

"Shit!"

He turned on his heels, heading back into the living area, hearing guards shouting in the stair well as the inner door knob began vibrating.

"Arno!"

He ignored the shout from Axe as he made straight for his bed. When he reached it, he shoved his hands under the mattress and found...nothing. Arno frantically moved his hands around, gritting his teeth, searching, where the hell was his diary?! He would have remembered if he had put it in his travel bag... The twenty-one year old stood, flipping the mattress up with a grunt-

Suddenly the door to the room burst open in a shower of wood and splinters. Arno ducked as pieces of painted canvas flew up into the air and looked behind him to see a bayonet pointed directly at his back.

"ASSASSINS!"

Arno willed his limbs to move as he ran back into the corridor, a bullet whistled past his head before it hit a post to his right, dousing him in a blast of splinters.

He saw the other Assassins at the end of the corridor, a small hatch in the wall lead to a set of stairs he had never seen before, that ascended upwards towards the roof. Arno dashed for it, jumping inside as he looked back to see the guard that had previously shot at him, trip on the white floor board, tumbling, sending the rest of the guards behind him falling also. The scene would have been comical if not for the pressing issue of escaping with his life. Arno shut the hidden door panel, as a green coated arm came over his shoulder, pushing a bolt across the door, pulling a piece of string. Arno began to hear small whirls and, was that a spark?

"Move if you want to keep your soul intact," the other Assassin growled as he ran up the stairs and out into day light. Arno looked back at the door and saw it beginning to smoke. Not wanting his soul to be separated from his body, he sprinted after the Assassin, hearing a hissing sound from behind him. He jumped up the stairs, two at a time, bag on his back hitting against him with every jump, as he burst out into sunshine, his cowl flying back off his face, the last and final door slamming shut behind him.

Arno saw a flash of green and tore after him. He ran over the roof tops, grabbing at the edges of the roofs, lifting himself up with a grunt as the two young Assassins made their escape. Arno saw the other two Assassins doing the same, as finally they all jumped onto the same roof. Suddenly there was an almighty boom, the sounds of wood and glass shattering as the roof of the Assassin HQ behind them exploded in a rain of fire. The shock wave made the Assassins hit the tiles of the building, they were currently scampering across, with a suprised cry.

After the initial shock, the group of men came to their senses, a couple of them moving up to crouch on all fours.

Axe swore loudly.

"Hells _Bloody_ Bells, Green Coat! ' ow much of that stuff did you use?!"

Green Coat looked up from under his cowl, lying on the tiles, squinting into the sun light and trying to blink as he saw part of the Assassin HQ roof still flying through the air, arcing gracefully through a large plum of dark smoke, disappearing into the next street over.

"Too much."

~


	7. Madness at Mirabeau's.

Arno shivered, arms wrapped tightly around himself, hearing his stomach growling. The corner of the street he was standing on was clouded in thick early morning fog as he and his companions stood around him. He swayed slightly, trying to ignore the gnawing of hunger in his belly as a slightly nervous Ice Cream next to him kept watch over their heads. Arno saw his blue eyes scanning left and right, observing a couple of people walking briskly to a near by shop, as the Axe Assassin next to him banged on a large thick door with his enormous fist. Arno looked up from under his cowl at the building they were shivering outside of and, from the large wooden sign above the door and the smell of piss coming from the gutters, it was, evidently, a tavern.

After a long silence, there came a shout from behind the heavy locked door.

“Be away from 'ere, we don't serve drunks in the mornin' !”

“Not even to this poor sod, cast out in this piss-stench of a street?”

Sounds of a heavy lock being opened filled the air and a man appeared, opening the door, that Arno could only describe as, simply put, ugly. His face was large, as was his bulk, and his skin was peppered with the tell-tell scars of someone who had suffered from small pox as a child.

The man squinted in the low light and street fog, still wrapped in his thick, dark and navy sleeping gown.

“Is that...?”

“ 'ello mate,” Axe beamed.

“Bloody hell, is that _you_ , Axe?!"

"The one and only."

"Axe, you filthy tar, come 'ere!”

The two men embraced warmly, each slapping the other on the back repeatedly. Arno didn't know if he was imagining it, but he was sure the meeting of their bodies just caused the ground to shake.

“Lads, this is Gabriel," Axe said, turning to the other Assassins who were still huddled together. "He's an old school friend-”

“And then some! This silly git," he jerked his thumb over at Axe, "married my sister.”

_Oh, Axe has a wife?_

Arno blinked, remembering with a curious jolt that all four of them had had a life before joining the Brotherhood of Assassins. He looked at the others and realized he really had no idea what either Green Coat or Ice Cream were prior to the Creed, or even if they too had wives or children. Hmm, maybe they were born into the Creed? The ex-Templar had guessed very early on in being with the group, that their names were handles only... Arno knew he was the only one without a nickname, well a usable and non vulgar one if he ignored Green Coat's muttered suggestions. Arno looked again at the other two briefly, finding he wouldn't mind knowing their true names...

"Well, don't just stand there, come in, come in!" the older man ushered, waving them in, as the Assassins said their thanks and entered, leaving the cold, foggy street behind.

Arno walked inside the tavern, his boots taping lightly on the stone floor, noticing how eerily quiet it was as the sound echoed around him.

"Not as lively as I remember it," Axe said, hands on hips, looking around, as Gabriel closed the door behind them, bolting it.

"Aye, this time of the day we're shut. But ya get the odd drunken fool trying to convince me and me misses that it's happy hour.”

Arno looked around the semi dark room, curiously. He cast his eyes over to the large fireplace; a number of items were scattered across it, including candles, jugs and a skull of some beast. He looked over at the rest of the room, seeing empty tables and chairs arranged in circles and over to the bar. Behind it, he and saw line upon lines of drink bottles of various brown and amber colors, except for a beautiful looking red sealed vase. Arno took a couple of steps towards it, trying to make out the rest of the collection in the dim light. Apart from seeming rather out of place, the red vase was perched on the top most shelf with lavender sprigs fastened to the top.

“How is Sofia?” Axe asked, making his way over to a table, drawing a chair out for Ice Cream near him, before pulling one out for himself.

The light coated Assassin took the chair with a "Merci" and sat down gingerly, the green-clad Assassin taking a seat next to him.

“She's fine, fine. Gave her a dust the other day.”

Arno looked, slightly taken aback, as he saw the man indicating to the top most shelf.

“She likes to be the first to welcome our guests in. With her there, we've never had a break in. She keeps a watchful eye on proceedings.”

Arno looked over at Ice Cream, who made a slight face of understanding, before shifting in his seat, looking uncomfortable. Arno frowned, looking over at Green Coat, but the other hadn't noticed for he too was staring at the lavender-clad urn.

 Gabriel called to Axe as he wondered over to the bar.

"And how's Julliet?"

"Good," Axe nodded, smiling, picking at the dribbled and dried wax on the table. "Her and the littlin' are doing good."

_Littlin'? A child?_

Arno looked at the bearded man, seeing him in a new light. He didn't know Axe was a father...?

Gabriel took out a set of mugs and a large stone jar from behind the counter, picking them up and walking back over.

"Beef and pork sarnies, anyone?"

Axe looked at the other men in his group, whom nodded at the invitation of food.

"If you please."

"Not to worry, I'll get François to put some on now for 'ya."

"Cheers."

Arno leaned over on the table, resting on his arms, trying to quell how his stomach jumped for joy at the promise of food. He couldn't remember the last time he ate. After the explosion of their former HQ, the four Assassins had made their way swiftly to the other side of Paris, non stop. No doubt the commotion they had caused would have alerted every guard in the area, and thus food was not on the agenda until they were safe. They had leaped on roof after roof, trying to get as far away from their former haunting grounds as they possibly could without being noticed. Which was difficult as not only did a couple of them slip on the wet moss covered roofs, but the one leading the way had sworn every curse word under the sun, very loudly, as they journeyed, making Arno cringe. Green Coat meanwhile keeping a safe distance from their angry leader.

"Pardon, Monsieur but," Ice Cream said, standing slowly from his chair, making Arno look up. "Could you tell me where the bathroom is?"

"D'accord, just over there, first door on the left."

Ice Cream nodded his thanks, hefting his travel bag up onto this back, from where it was under the table, and walked out of the room briskly.

Arno watched him go as Axe's brother-in-law began to pour them drinks.

"So, what brings you to this beautifully shite part of town?”

“We need a place to say.”

Gabriel looked up at Axe, leaning over to his mug, filling it.

"For how long?"

"Just a couple of weeks until we're on our feet and find a new premise."

“Why, what 'appened to your place?”

“The rent blew up,” Axe said, slapping a heavy hand on to the shoulder of a quiet and flustered looking Green Coat, making the other man laugh.

“Not a problem, my house and tavern, are yours."

Axe smiled, winking.

"Knew I could count on my brother in law."

"Pardon Monsieur Gabriel, you called?"

All men looked up to see a skinny teen with blue eyes standing at their table.

"Ah, François, yes, could we get a dozen beef and pork sarnies together?"

The boy nodded nervously, before he scurried back to the kitchen. Arno watched him go and realized with amusement the boy looked not unlike a very young version of Ice Cream.

"He's the baker's son from down the street," Gabriel said, taking a swig from his mug. "I gave him a job here to help his father, François the Elder, out," he said as he finished his drink, standing. "Best I go and help him; first day on the job, do pardon me."

Axe nodded as the bulky man left, calling for François Junior to use the plates on the right hand side.

Axe turned and looked at the quiet two young men next to him.

"Don't be fooled by his appearance. He was born an aristocrat."

"Him?" Green Coat whispered, eyebrow raised.

"Aye, one of the few us Assassins trust-"

"And that he's your brother-in-law," Arno said, as Axe nodded, drinking from his mug again.

"Aye, that does help."

Arno looked up to see Ice Cream return, looking relieved, placing his bag down under the table again with a sigh.

"Everything alright, Ice?"

Ice Cream nodded quickly, smiling at Axe.

It was a while later than Gabriel and the servant François Junior entered the room with a plate of deliciously smelling, and equally as heavenly looking, sandwiches. The teen put the large platter down onto the table before he made to leave.

"No, no, boy, come 'n join us," Gabriel said as he pulled out a chair next to Ice Cream, offering it to the teen.

The boy looked like he had just been asked to dine with Gods as he complied, nervously sitting down on his hands, eyes eager.

Arno tucked into his meal, feeling the taste of the meat and bread hit his senses like a pleasant breeze on a hot day. He swallowed and took another bite, trying to hide the smile on his face of the image before him, as he looked up, of Ice Cream and his mini clone sitting across from him.

"So, how you been these days?"

"Alright, I'd say. Lads?"

The Assassins nodded, Arno raising his half eaten sandwich up in acknowledgement towards their large host.

"I heard the Bastille was stormed-"

Arno coughed, swallowing his meal. He forced himself to slow his eating, taking a gulp of water that tasted faintly salty, as Gabriel continued.

"-and a good thing too, 'bout time the people did something."

Arno watched as Ice Cream offered a sandwich to the teen, who took it, thanking him gratefully.

"Guess who's back in town, Axe?"

The Assassin leader shrugged.

"Necker."

Axe nearly chocked on his sandwich, before he swallowed, banging his fist on the table, making Arno's jug rattle.

"HA! Knew King Louis wouldn't keep 'im away for long."

"The man was reinstated a day ago, but not a lot of good he will do now. Its just for show."

"You sound like you know what's going to happen?" Green Coat said, picking up his mug as he addressed the tavern owner.

"Yes, I do. Martial Law, my lad," Gabriel said, looking deadly serious. "Its coming."

"Martial Law?" Arno said, brow furred.

God, this food was delicious.

Gabriel pointed over to him, lowering his voice.

"...you mark my words."

Axe coughed.

"So how is the newspaper going?"

"Depends," laughed the elder man, setting down his mug onto the wooden table, face now holding more amusement than a moment ago.

The large tavern owner looked at the younger faces around him, seeing the confusion on their faces.

"I was an aristocrat, please hold ya booing," he said with a chuckle, hand raised. "My real name is indeed Gabriel, but the people know me as the ever scandalous _Mirabeau_."

"Aye, scandalous I can vouch for," Axe laughed heartily, finishing his meal, leaning back.

"Mirabeau..." Ice Cream said thoughtfully, drawing his hands out onto the table, interlacing his fingers and resting his head on them.

Arno suppressed a smirk as he saw François Junior copy him.

"I live like this," Gabriel said, gesturing to the room, "as it's the only way I can get my paper out to the people. No one knows it's me," he said tapping a finger to his nose. "There is a new arrest clause out on "Mirabeau" everyday from the Old Bill. I can't deny, it's a good feeling to be wanted so badly," Gabriel chuckled, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"You print newspapers?"

The man swallowed a chunk of sandwich at Green Coat's question.

"I don't just print them, son, I write 'em too."

The Assassins watched as Gabriel took a swig from his tankard.

"I print the newspaper and distribute it using your fellow brothers in arms-"

Arno stopped chewing.

 _Other Assassins?_ My, this entire conversation, no _morning_ , was indeed telling him all kinds of secrets...

"And then people read it out loud in my tavern to those whom can't. All the while I can see what their reactions are. Keeps the fight for abolishing the _Ancien Régime_ fresh in the public's mind."

Axe scoffed.

"You want us to be like England."

"I want a _constitution_ like that of England," the man said, pointing at his Axe-carrying-brother-in-law. "Keep the King, I say, but give the people the _real_ Power."

~

Arno yawned, stretching in bed, looking around his new room, stomach now highly satisfied at the earlier meal. He scratched his at his collar bone, nonchalantly. This place was not too bad, he had to say. It was a larger room that he was currently resting in and it was bigger than the one he had previously...well, that being said, the room was a corner of a living room, but as much as he liked Axe he was glad he didn't have to listen to the man's snores near his ears. The new bed Arno had was indeed smaller than the bed he had at the old Assassin HQ, but it was nice that he got a room finally to himself. Arno looked over across from him and saw a second single bed tucked away under the window. Hmm, perhaps he would pull it over and increase the size of the one he was currently on, no harm in that. After a while of snoozing some more, Arno Dorian got up, had a shave and walked out into the corridor. He wanted to ask Axe more about this mysterious brother in law of his, Gabriel aka "Mirabeau". Arno had told the other Assassins a brief history of his own ex-Templar life, but if Axe was married then where was his wife? Was she an Assassin too? And he had a child? So many questions... Curiously looking around, he walked out into the tavern, still empty and closed at mid day. He looked over to the side and saw a scrap of paper with his name scrawled across it in brown ink. Arno walked quickly over to it, pulling it out from under the skull of the beast on the fire place.

_Gone to have a "chat" with Green. Back Later. - Axe_

"A chat?" Arno raised an eyebrow, flipping the paper over in his hand, seeing nothing on the reverse. The twenty one year old cast his gaze around him, trying to see if Gabriel was present. When he found nothing, he shrugged, making up his mind, and tucked the paper into the waist band of his trousers, making for the stairs. His belongings needed sorting anyway, so hastily where they thrown into his bag during their escape. Speaking of which, if they were compromised...who ratted them out? Mrs Breton? Arno frowned as he began to climb the old wooden steps. He hoped it wasn't her, she was such a nice lady...just a shame Green Coat blew up her house. Perhaps he should go back and apologize to her...maybe give her some compensation for the damage... His thoughts went back to his diary as he climbed, slowly. Hmm, maybe he had put the small black diary into his travel bag and it was hiding somewhere at the bottom?  He was about half way up when the Assassin saw a hunched over figure on the steps.

Ice Cream was squatting on the staircase, not having changed out of his Assassin Uniform, both arms wrapped tightly around his stomach, pain etched across his face.

Arno jumped a couple of steps, noticing a small and round white bag near his feet.

"Are you hurt?"

"N-no..." Ice Cream winced with a sharp intake of breath, his eyes tightly shut. "I just...ah!"

Arno gently took an upper arm and helped the other up from his squatting, slowly. He watched with concern as the slightly taller Assassin continued to lean against the side of the wall, a protective arm still around his middle.

Ice Cream screwed his eyes shut again, for a few moments, seeming to try and compose himself. Finally he swallowed, opening up his eyes, licking his lips, panting slightly. Ice Cream didn't miss the highly worried look on the others face.

The Assassin swallowed again.

"My gut...it tends to take issue with me, ah-!" He said as he screwed his eyes shut pressing his forehead against the wall. He stood there for a couple of further seconds, hunched over slightly, before he blinked and looked up through squinting eyes.

"...it's too bright..."

"Here, lean on me," Arno said, as he moved the man's arm over his shoulder, grabbing the small white and equally light, bag that was lying on the side, in the other hand. "Lets get you back to your room."

The young Assassin helped the other up the rest of the stairs and walked gingerly to his room at the opposite end of the corridor. When they reached it, he helped the other in, propping him up. Ice Cream sat on the bed, before falling sideways, groaning, putting his palms to his eyes. Arno leaned down and helped the other take off his boots. Ice Cream quickly undid the buttons on his tanned over coat, eyes still clamped shut, grimacing. Arno looked around the room. He saw a corner with two travel bags and a second bed off to the side. Looks like Green Coat was still sharing with Ice Cream. Made somewhat sense, he mused, as he saw a table with cogs and springs upon it also off to the side, looking very much like a replica of his old one. Arno could just about make out the mysterious leather weapon on the side. Arno felt his stomach jolt. It seemed all of Green Coat's mechanics and tools were saved from the explosion, but not Arno's diary...But still, even though the two Assassins worked closely together, didn't Green Coat want his own bedroom?

Arno looked back to the bed, hearing the other Assassin curl up in the sheets, with a moan.

"Could it be gut-worms?"

"...maybe..."

Arno put the boots down on the floor slowly and looked again at the very pale man.

He did _not_ look well.

"I'll send for the doctor-"

"No... I'll be fine...just need sleep...could you shut the curtains, please?"

Arno moved around the side of the bed and pulled the heavy and slightly moth eaten drapes across, shutting out the midday sun.

"Ahh...thank you..."

He walked round the side of the bed again, his eyes adjusting to the sudden darkness.

Both Assassins felt silence descend.

"I'll leave you in peace...just call if you need anything."

"Merci beaucoup, Arno."

Arno walked over to the bedroom door and the light cascading in. He had never seen the other Assassin in such a state before. Sure, each of them had come down with an upset stomach from time to time. As was to be expected, in a crowded city, mice scurrying about everywhere. Keeping clean was just about possible but during the current summer's heat, it was even less so. The food they consumed were from different sources, on what they could afford, and the fish they had purchased may or may not have come from polluted rivers, now he thought about it...maybe the sandwiches? But then, neither himself or any of the others had felt unwell...

He was about to close the door when the other spoke, so quietly he almost missed it.

"Arno...?"

The young man looked back and saw blue eyes, full of pain, gazing at him.

"Please don't tell the others."

~

 "Right, that's 15 sou-"

_"15 sou?"_

The doctor peered up from his ledger, an impertinent frown on his face.

"Yes. If you want the medicine."

Arno stared at the man, incensed, before slapping the money down into the physician's greedy gloved hand.

_Merde, since when did things get so expensive?_

"Take one every two hours with water; should clear your case of gut-worm up in no time."

Arno turned in the dusty street, tucking the small dark bottle into his jacket, and headed back to the tavern at a sprint, feeling his purse very much lighter than before. But as he reached the door to the tavern building, the feeling vanished as he jogged up the stairs. He cast his eyes around, seeing that neither Green Coat nor Axe had returned...or Gabriel, for that matter. Arno coughed as he reached Ice Cream's room, knocking on the door softly.

"Ice Cream?"

"...Oui...?"

The boy entered, squinting in the darkness and saw the outline of Ice Cream under the sheets, curled up into a ball. He walked over and placed the small bottle of liquid on the bedside table, noticing the others tanned Assassin uniform and white shirt lying on the floor in a heap.

"I know you said not too, but just in case you change your mind."

Ice Cream raised himself up on his left elbow slowly, grunting, reaching over to the bottle. He picked it up in his slender fingers as Arno bent down, gathering the heavy coat and white shirt, placing it onto a near by chair. He paused as something black fell to the floor from the Assassin's coat, lightly bouncing on the floor. Arno crouched down, squinting in the almost pitch black light, and picked up the soft and moist clump of material.

_Moss?_

"Oh Arno, you shouldn't have..." he said looking at the bottle, before closing his eyes, making the other look over. Ice Cream looked up at the young Assassin in the semi darkness.

"But thank you..."

Arno nodded, feeling the edge of a table next to him and putting the curious moss clump onto it, no doubt the man had caught some on his person while on the roof tops, before he turned, wiping the feeling and texture of wet moss off of his fingers onto his right thigh, as he headed back out of the room. He closed the door just as he heard the main one downstairs open.

~

Arno cursed.

Then curse again.

He was so _careful_ in looking after that diary! Although the irony that is was now burnt to a crisp somewhere in the old-now-non-existent Assassin HQ was not lost on him. He patted the watch that never left his breast pocket. At least all was not lost. He closed his eyes again, hearing doors here and there opening, Green Coat's voice calling Ice Cream's name...It was evening and after a quick meal with Axe and Gabriel, Green Coat hadn't joined them, he retired to his room for the night. The fact that the other Assassin had managed to move his entire mechanical workshop was bugging him. And he, Arno Dorian, couldn't safe guard one small diary? The twenty-one year old huffed, turning over in bed.

~

Arno jerked awake.

He looked around and thought, for one horrific moment, that he had gone blind.

Darkness.

The ex-Templar narrowed his eyes at the room around him, now completely pitch black, not knowing where he was for a moment. After a few seconds, he rolled over and looked out of the window. From the presents of lit street lamps and the merry, if rather drunken, noises coming from down stairs, it was late at night.

Arno stretched again, hearing the tavern's patrons singing loudly.

Needing the toilet, Arno pushed himself up and walked over to the piss pot at the end of the room. Having relieved himself, he lent over and washed his hands in a small bowl, drying them with a towel-

A small slip of paper had been pushed under his door.

Arno stared at it.

He put the wash cloth back, and walked over to the letter, bending and unfolding it.

_Meet me on the roof - Axe_

_"The roof? Seriously, at this hour?"_ he sighed, looking around. Although that said...the roof was probably the perfect place to talk, Arno mused, if they wanted privacy, as loud drunken laughter came through the wooden floorboards from the people below. Arno grabbed his Assassin uniform, threw it and his boots on before walking out of his bedroom door. What ever Axe wanted to talk to him about, he had no idea...until he realized that Axe had left a note in the morning saying he was having a "chat" with Green Coat. Arno snorted as he saw the stairs to the top floor. No doubt the leader meant he was having "a chat" with the other about the ridiculous amount of gun powder he had used. A vision of Axe shouting at Green Coat filled his mind, making him smirk. Arno had concluded that the other man and himself simply had a personality clash. Nothing more. Even if the vision of the hateful look the Assassin gave him at the Bastille told his gut other wise.

Arno climbed the stairs up to the top and saw that the ladder to the outside loft space was already down. He reached over and climbed up, feeling the slight wind through his hair as he hauled himself out of the hatch.

“ _And so she said, to whom do I owe the pleasure..._ ”

Arno stopped.

That wasn't Axe's voice.

The young Assassin stood up and walked, lowering his brow, to the other end of the roof.

He knew that voice.

“ _Oh good sir, thou dost tease. But our paths shall cross and unite if only for tonight._ ”

Arno came to a stop a short distance away from the man, feeling his face contort into an annoyed frown.

"Axe never wrote that letter, did he?"

The other snorted, cocking his head to the side as he looked up from a small black diary.

“So this is where you store all your _witty_ one liners?”

He should have known. Should have realized someone had taken his diary and that he had not simple misplaced it. The feeling of relief he felt at seeing his belonging safe was quickly snuffed out by the fact it was under duress.

“Give that back, Green Coat.”

The dark haired man snapped the book shut with one hand and tucked it into the belt of his red Assassin sash, a cruel smile playing across his face.

"I think not."

"What do you want? That diary is of no use to you."

The emerald clad Assassin narrowed his eyes.

"What did you do to him?"

Arno frowned.

"...Pardon?"

"Ice Cream. What did you do?"

_Oh, that's what this was about._

"Calm down, man. I did nothing. Only helped him into bed."

Ice Cream's voice of asking Arno not to tell anyone of his sickness reverberated around his head. Although evidently Green Coat had found out.

The man looked at him, his eyes dragging their way up and down his body.

"Is that _all?_ "

Arno scoffed.

"What do you mean _"is that all"_ -"

_"You think you can just touch other people's things?"_

Arno stared. The hairs on his neck standing up on end instantly, gut dropping.

Something wasn't right.

The twenty one year old quickly looked at the others arms and noticed there were no hidden blades or guns present. Then man was unarmed, like himself. Arno shut his mouth, a feeling of foreboding hit his core.

"Think you're one of us?"

Arno scowled, physically feeling his patience running out.

"I know why you're really here in our group," Green Coat continued. "You're here to disrupt our organization-"

"You talk utter rot, we are brothers, Assassins- "

"No!" Green Coat hissed. " _We_ are not Assassins. _I_ am an Assassin," he said pointing at his chest. " _You..,"_ he said now pointing accusingly at Arno, "...are a Templar."

Arno flexed his hands. The temptation to sock the man in the nose began to grow, as he saw Green Coat step towards him.

"You do not believe in our Creed; flaunting your Templar _arrogant_ ways at the Bastille-"

Ah, so that was what the hateful look meant, Arno realized, as he felt the last trickles of his tolerance leave him with every step Green Coat took closer.

"-well you may have pulled the wool over the eyes of Axe, but not me or Ice Cream-"

"Why do you crush Vanilla pods under your work top?"

Green Coat blinked.

"Seems a bit odd, does it not, Green Coat?"

The ex-Templar watched with self righteous glee as the man's eyes widened.

"But then again, _Ice Cream_ smells of Vanilla-"

"What the hell are you implying?"

"Nothing...," Arno said shrugging, "only that, judging from our current conversation, the fact that your stuff is in the others room and you asking me what I had _"done"_ to Ice Cream..."

Arno could feel the man's stare bore into him.

But he didn't care.

"...I think I now know why you're called Green Coat, _Green_ Coat."

Arno could see it was a dangerous game he was playing, but the anger welling up inside of him began to over ride this thinking. For ages he had noticed how much Green Coat would fawn over the other man. He lost count of the amount of times he had found them talking and whispering about technical guns, bows and the like. So many times he found Green Coat going to sit next to the other, when other chairs were available and that when ever he spoke to the tall Assassin, Green Coat would be there, hovering. Arno scoffed to himself at how long it took for him to realize what was going on. He wanted the man to himself. Someone who he could pit his lock making skills against. After all, who better to test his inventions with than one who's specialty was to break them. But it was ridiculous the amount of fawning Green Coat was making. Arno had never wanted to punch a face so much in his entire life. And the fact that that said face was sporting a slightly shocked expression filled him with such smugness that he didn't realize his fists beginning to shake. Add into the mix that Green Coat was acting like he had corrupted Ice Cream in some way, it was obvious to him now that Green Coat was a sycophant.

Arno scoffed as he continued.

"You're so in awe of the man and his talents that you get jealous of anyone who gets close to him."

Green Coat's eyes were flashing dangerously, pure and hot anger bright on his face.

"But then at least I, in my _arrogant_ Templar ways, didn't destroy the HQ and make my brothers homeless, thus having to live out of a tavern."

Green Coat's didn't move, his all consuming stare never wavering, before he pulled the black diary harshly out of his red sash.

Arno stepped forwards.

"Enough of this tripe, give it back."

Green Coat continued to glare at him, even as Arno stepped closer, growling, hand outstretched.

"I will not say it again."

Green Coat smirked.

"Go and get it."

And he threw the diary off the side of the building.

He knew he shouldn't have done what he did next, but in that moment, Arno Victor Dorian, was not in control of his body.

He snapped, feeling the anger and frustration engulf him, as he launched himself at the other Assassin. Arno had had enough. All the glares, side sneers and off handed comments Green Coat had ever said to him all balled up into this one over whelming desire to punch the man square in the face. Arno felt his fist connect, but misjudged the distance and the momentum made him body slam directly into the other, both tumbling down the side of the roof, tiles flying everywhere. The two men battled as they slid down the side of the roof, grabbing and pulling, trying to land a punch on the other as they slid to the edge of the roof. As they hit the guttering, Green Coat straddled Arno and raised his fist to strike, but Arno, having been flipped by Ice Cream so many times, jerked his right leg out and flipped them both over. He kicked out and felt his right leg connect to an arm, before Green Coat back handed him across the face. The two tumbled as the scuffle escalated, sounds of their struggling and smashing tiles being dislodged from their position on the roof echoed in the street below them as they fought. Then just as quickly as the fight began, Arno was suddenly aware the other was not in front of him anymore. There was a shout and he saw Green Coat being hauled backwards by the scruff of his cowl. It took a moment for the action to register in Arno's brain, seeing a glint of a large Axe, before he too felt his own cowl tighten around his neck, pulling him backwards. He gagged as he fell to his side, another person's fingers tight in a fist at the back base of his cowl, the faint scent of Vanilla hitting his nostrils. It only took a second for the young Assassin to realize their predicament before he was deafened.

_"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU TWO THINK YA PLAYING AT?!"_

Arno finally lost his footing, and at the shout, fell backwards onto this arse, cowl still grasped in his captor's fist, feeling his upper thigh slam into the tiles and hearing them crack as he stumbled.

“Right, inside. NOW!”

~

Arno bowed his head, cross legged on the floor, trying with all his might to hide his face, wishing he could pull his hood up over his head. He wasn't the only one. Sitting along side him was the other man, hunched over in submission, cowl also pushed back, his shoulder length jet black hair hiding his face. In front of them, Axe was sitting on a stool, a roaring fire place at his back, arms crossed in front of his barrel like chest. His trade mark Axe gleaming like some snake across his back, glinting in the light thrown over by the flames. Arno wondered if this was what his own personal hell looked like.

A very mute Ice Cream, both hands on his lap, was seated next to the leader.

The Assassins were quiet for a long time.

Arno could hear not only his own breathing in the space, but that of a seething Axe, as he looked down at the wooden floor boards of the new room, one of the upper floors he had guessed from the way he was thrown down the stairs and into it.

Finally the bearded Assassin exploded.

“Must I chastise you both like _CHILDREN!?”_

Silence.

Arno returned to his staring of the dents in the wood in front of him, trying to study each knot of the wood and precise gaps between the planks, trying to not give attention to the utter shame fluttering around in his chest as the Assassin leader fumed.

"We are _guests_ in this house... and this is how you both repay our host?"

Arno closed his eyes.

"I am _ashamed_ to tell my brother-in-law why part of his roof is now on the bloody street. And I cannot tell you the depths of embarrassment you both have thrown upon myself and Ice Cream."

Arno chanced a look to his right and saw Green Coat hunched over, head bowed just as his was.

“I'm not going to waste my time asking how or why it started. Both of you are acting like twelve-year olds, not twenty-one year olds-

Arno blinked. He had been right, Green Coat was the same age as him.

"-and to think of...”

Arno saw Axe stop suddenly looking at the quiet and ill looking man next to him.

“From now on, you two will be sharing a room.”

Both chastised Assassins looked up in horror.

_“Don't you both even dare to protest.”_

Both Assassins looked back down at the ground, Axe's growl following them.

"Not only will you both be sharing quarters, but in order to leave the room you must get the others permission.”

Green Coat and Arno Dorian remained like statues.

“Because if you two can't settle your differences, then neither I, nor Ice Cream, have any use for _EITHER OF YOU!”_

The roar reverberated around the room, echoing off the pipes and furniture.

Arno wished with all his might that he and the floor board, he was looking at, could switch places.

There was a long silence before Axe huffed slightly.

“Ice Cream, do you have anything you want to say?”

The pale man blinked a couple of times before he looked from Axe to Arno.

Arno felt his stomach drop, as blue eyes, full of disappointment, were cast upon him, before Ice Cream then very slowly looked at Green Coat.

Ice Cream finally shook his head, slowly.

Axe nodded, waving his hand and the second tallest member of the group stood up gently, walking out of the room and closing the door behind him with a small "click".

Arno saw out of the corner of his eye Green Coat move.

“I wouldn't if I were you, _boy_.”

Green Coat leaned back down, head low.

“Right, you two are in the left-hand room, me and Ice on the right.”

The two twenty-one-year-old Assassins remained silent.

"God forbid if either of you were armed."

Arno wished the ground would swallow him up.

Axe swore under his breath and with that, he left the room, slamming the door shut loudly.

The room was silent.

Both Assassins, still hunched over on the floor, did not move.

Arno felt the shame buzzing round his head and through his veins.He knew he shouldn't have let the other goad him on. He knew he shouldn't have attacked Green Coat, but...the other was so _insanely_ hostile towards him, he couldn't understand why and what for. Well, here they were. Why not ask the man out right?

Arno opened up his mouth.

“Green, I-”

The other stood up swiftly, marching to the room on his left, opening and slamming the door shut behind him.

Arno shut his eyes.

This wasn't what he had imagined life as an Assassin was to be like at all.

After a long while, Arno pulled his thoughts and will together, making to move. He put his hands on his legs, looking down as he pushed off-

He froze, staring at the brown trouser material on his right thigh.

There, among the scuffled dirt marks of their fight, was a small patch of dried blood.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> British Slang Word Terms:
> 
> Sarnie = A common word for a sandwich. Normally this is a sandwich that includes bacon but can be used to refer to any sort.
> 
> Old Bill = The Police


	8. The Problem with Green Coat

~

Green Coat watched in anguish the back of his lover leaving the room. He had to get to him. He had to apologize, he hadn't meant to cause so much issue, it was Arno, he was so...so.. _.arrogant!_ He couldn't share a room with that jumped up arse. He wanted, no _needed_ , to be with his partner, needed to be by his side, especially now that he was ill again, if he could just get to him and apologize, everything would be alright-

Green Coat felt his body move on it's own.

“I wouldn't if I were you, _boy_.”

Green Coat froze as the dangerous growl reverberated through his bones, forcing himself to slowly lean back into his submission cowering, head low.

The trio of Assassins were quiet for a while longer before Axe stood up, huffing profanities, and left the room.

Green Coat sat on the spot, his fists clenched tightly in his lap.

All the energy inside of him was screaming at him to go after Ice Cream. But he saw that Axe had gone out the same door as his partner and knew it would be impossible to go after him now. He knew what would happen if he did. Not only would he have to contend with Axe's reaction, but getting to his lover would only be the beginning...but that wasn't what terrified the chastised Assassin. The more time passed, the more likely it was that his lover would shut down. Become silent. Green Coat shuddered, thinking of the last time that happened, very early on during their fledgling relationship. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to get rid of the shame crawling around inside his limbs, willing the image of Ice Cream looking at him with disappointment out of his head, the process making him feel sick. It was extremely rare for Ice Cream to show outward aggression, but just because it was, didn't mean his lover couldn't lose his temper.

Green Coat blinked a couple of times, breathing in.

If truth be told, he would prefer to confront an angry and shouting Ice Cream to the silent one...But then, that was how the man would react. _Had_ reacted. It stung the twenty one year old deep that when ever his partner was upset or angry, Ice Cream would shut everything, including Green, out.

The Assassin felt something in his chest beginning to stab with horrific pain.

“Green Coat, I-”

He stood swiftly, pushing himself up from the floor rapidly, before he stubbornly forced his legs to move one after the other.

He had to get out of the room, he had to be alone.

But so preoccupied was the young Assassin that he didn't even realize, after slamming the door shut of the room where Arno still was and fleeing, that he was now standing outside of his and Ice Cream's room- no...Ice Cream and _Axe's_ room now.

Green Coat felt a second stab of pain shoot through him as he turned and headed to Arno's room. He shoved the door open with a loud grunt, not caring as it hit the side of the wall with an equally loud thump before slamming shut behind him.

Green Coat looked around him, breathing hard, and saw the second bed, pushed up to the other in the center of the room.

Arno's belongings.

He narrowed his eyes further at the fact his own equipment was still in his and Ice Creams-...Ice Cream's and Axe's room.

But then at that moment he realized he couldn't give a rats arse.

Fine.

If Axe was ordering him to share with that buffoon then he was going to do it, no qualms. If only for the end result to be with his partner again. If having to endure that novice in his personal space, prove that he wasn't as intense or jealous as Axe thought he was, then he was willing to pay that price if only to be back with his Lock Picker once again.

Green Coat stormed over to the double bed, squatted and grabbed the underside frame of the second bed, yanking it across the floor. He didn't care that half of Arno's clothes and bedsheets fell in the gap he had created, falling to the floor in a heap. Green Coat threw all his anger into the task, stopping only to go around the other side and shove his new single bed as far as away from the other as he possibly could, before it hit the wall with a harsh crunch of metal, the sound satisfying something deep inside the man.

The Assassin tore off his boots, throwing them down onto the floor, shrugging off his Assassin Uniform, before he climbed into bed, drawing the sheets around him tightly as his emotions became too much for him.

_A vision of Ice Cream standing in a stone court yard, shaking with fury and all consuming fear, flew into his mind._

Green Coat stared straight at the wall, blinking, before burying his face into the balled up sheet at his fist, trying to deny the feeling of hot and treacherous liquid falling down his cheeks.

~

"Denied?"

"Afraid so."

The twenty year old Green Coat stared at the tanned piece of paper in his hands, then back up to his ex-mentor. The two were standing in a warmly lit corridor of the Assassin Parisian Head Quarters. The air was warm and if this had been any other day, the man would have felt somewhat at ease.

However, relaxation was not on his mind, as Green Coat wanted to rip this particular piece of paper up into a thousand tiny pieces.

The man looked up from under his emerald cowl. Faint dark circles had begun to form under his eyes in the past few days. He tried to ignore the connection that he hadn't seen Ice Cream in over a week.

The student stared at his ex-mentor.

"Why? Why can't we be paired?"

"Because Cream's already got a partner."

Green Coat felt his stomach drop, cocking his head to the side, blinking.

"...who?-"

"Me."

The two Assassins looked at each other.

“But you've been working with him for over a year-”

“So?”

Green Coat began to chew his lip. Damn, it was so _difficult_ to get Axe to agree or even see his way of thinking. Didn't the man understand what a great idea it was for him to be paired up with the Lock Pick Assassin? Sure, the two of them had started off on the wrong foot, mostly owning to his ego getting the better of him, which the young Assassin tried to forget. But now they were on speaking terms, and even had eaten together a couple of times...but even so, surely couldn't his ex-mentor see how their skills complimented each other?

“Give up son, you're not ready for a partner like him.”

The Green Assassin scowled.

"Not ready? I'm not a child anymore, Axe."

The larger Assassin shook his head, hefting the heavy weapon on his back, turning away.

"This conversation is over."

Green Coat continued to chew his lip, before he found himself running after his mentor, jumping in front of him, blocking his path from exiting the corridor.

"Reconsider."

The Axe man gave him a look.

Green Coat looked away quickly, before scrunching his eyes up, resigning himself, as he shoved his ego to one side in an almighty sweep.

“... _please_.”

Axe crossed his arms, looking bored.

"Why should I?"

"He's a Lock Picker, Axe. Who better to test my contraptions against?"

Axe lent over into Green Coat's space, staring at him for a heart beat, before he reached behind and yanked his student's cowl down at lightning speed, uncovering his head.

Green Coat jerked slightly at the motion, his shoulder length jet black hair falling into his eyes, making him flinch.

"How much 'ave you slept this week?"

Green Coat blinked, adjusting his eyes to the new light, shaking the hair out of them.

"Excuse me?-"

"Not much, I'd wager. Judging from the look of them dark circles under your eyes-"

Green Coat felt the frustration seep into his voice.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Axe's eyes bored into him.

"I know how you are, Green Coat. You're too intense.”

The young Assassin blinked, lowing his brow.

"Too _intense?_ -"

"You're possessive, impulsive and dare I say it, jealous. If there is one thing I know about you Green, is that if there is a line in the sand, aye, you'll be the one to cross it."

Green Coat tried very hard not to roll his eyes at the familiar lecture, turning away slightly, biting his lip least a curt retort escaped his mouth.

_Here we go again._

“All the partners you've ever been paired up with have told me stories that do not paint you in the best of lights... of you leaving 'em behind, going off on ya merry jaunts, alone, when you were meant to be covering their arses-”

Green Coat rounded on the man.

“Others whom were inferior to my skills. Was _I_ jealous? Yes, that they were furthering their skills and at the expense of mine."

Green Coat leaned into Axe's space.

"I didn't _need_ them."

Axe scoffed.

“Which is why I cannot pair you up with Ice Cream.”

Green Coat felt his eye twitch, a vein in his head began to throb incessantly, threatening to give way. Was there no getting through to this man?!

Axe leaned back.

"Besides he's too old, find a brother closer to your own age-"

Green Coat snapped his eyes back to the other man.

"Thirty five is not old."

Axe leaned back further, fully taking in the Assassin before him, eyebrows raised.

"Oh, you know his age, now?"

Green Coat couldn't hide how fast his face turned red, looking away, as the silence between them intensified.

Axe narrowed his eyes before realization hit him like a bullet to the chest.

“Oh... _oh_ , I see-”

Green's eyes flashed.

“What?”

Axe let a devilish smile creep onto his face.

“You fancy him-”

Green Coat's eyes widened with horror, before he snarled, making towards his mentor. He didn't get very far as the elder held up a hand, halting him. Green Coat stopped at the motion, quickly turning his head from left to right, seeing if they were alone in the corridor. But upon confirmation that they were the only ones in the vicinity, he turned his attention back to the Axe carrying man, lowing his voice to barely above a whisper. He clenched his teeth, hating how Axe's voice had a tendency to echo.

“If you breathe a _word_ -!”

“Calm yourself, man. You're not the first and certainly won't be the last.”

Green Coat looked behind him and around, again. Licking his lips, shifting his weight from leg to leg on the spot again before turning back to his mentor.

“Is it-?” he whispered before Axe cut him off.

“-obvious?”

Green Coat paused before he uncomfortably nodded ever so slightly.

Axe's face suddenly hardened, all trace of humor gone.

"Keep away from him, Green Coat. You'll only get yourself hurt."

Green Coat frowned. Something in the man's voice...there was more...

The Green Assassin narrowed his eyes, facing his mentor fully.

“...Why?”

Axe shook his head.

“Not for me to say, son. Just do what I tell you-"

"You're not my mentor anymore."

Axe's eyes bore into him, making something inside the younger Assassin regret those words, as the man left, but not before he fixed the twenty year old with a look that said more than any warning ever could.

~

He pushed the bellows down harshly, watching as the fire in the furnace glowed yellow then white, as he waited for the metal to soften. After a moment, Green Coat pulled the hot piece of metal out with a set of dark tongs, wiping his fore head in the crock of his elbow before picking up a hammer and slamming it down onto the piece with a ringing of metal. He liked it out here, in the court yard. Sure, there were horses milling around and the odd chicken poking around in the work shop, looking for tasty ants, but he was alone. He could concentrate on his next project, without the distraction of other Assassins nattering on about the latest political intrigue, which he found so damn boring. But creating, now _there_ was something he could sink his teeth into.

The invention he was currently working on was a new lock that he had literally drempt up one night. He would never admit just how fast he had jumped out of bed, grabbed a pencil and jotted down the notes on his bedside table, feeling high from the prospect of making his new contraption a reality. He had made plans to rent out the furnace for the week, and after training, he got to work. He was relieved, to be frankly honest, of something else that was all consuming in his life, the other being a raging attraction to another Assassin.

Green Coat continued to pound the heavy metal with the hammer.

It had been two long and equally frustrating months since _that_ conversation with his ex-mentor. Two months of doing the unthinkable, in Green Coat's mind and pleading with the older Assassin to pair him up with Ice Cream.

But each time Axe rebuked him.

The Assassin looked at the long piece of metal, turning it over and over in his hand before he was satisfied with it, putting it back into the oven furnace, carefully with his tongs, pressing down on the secondary bellows with his foot.

He had tried, again and again to get Ice Cream out of his head. He even tried to convince himself that the man was an arse. That beneath that exterior of a quiet and sweet man, was the heart of a raging monster. But each time he tried, he found he couldn't keep up the act of fooling himself.

He had continued to pester his ex-mentor but when Axe near enough blew his top from the sheer harassment, Green Coat had backed off.

So he had resigned himself to watch Ice Cream from afar.

But there was one thought that kept him from asking Axe again, his temper be damned. One blindingly obvious question he hadn't considered.

"What if Ice Cream isn't into men?" he had muttered to himself, breathing heavily, late one night after another bout of trying to convince his body that he didn't lust after Ice Cream. Which was a fair point. Sure there were whispered stories of Assassins coupling with each other, but there were none in the Parisian HQ that he knew of, aside from himself, that had feelings for another. In fact...he wasn't attracted to men or women in general but...something about the Lock Picker was holding him in a vice and wouldn't let go. Green Coat had tried again and again to scrub out the feeling of euphoria he felt when ever he saw the other, but in the end he gave up and allowed his body to relieve itself. It was the only way he could contain some control over his feelings, alone in bed, secretly sedating his lust under the covers. But each time he would look at the white and sticky evidence in his hands, he felt a pang of longing for the object of his affections and pity for how strongly his body was reacting.

Green Coat looked at the simple weapon on the workbench and quickly put it in the water bath next to his workstation. Steam from the boiling water shot up into the air as two figures in hoods appeared off to the side of Green Coat's vision.

A lightly, almost white, coated Assassin was walking with an Assassin carrying an Axe, across the court yard, chatting together.

Green Coat felt his breath catch in his throat, his movements stilled.

He felt blood beginning to pool below his waist, his skin becoming warm as he gazed at the way the other moved oh so gracefully.

 _Look. Look this way._ _Please, I need to see your eyes, just one glimpse is all I need...  
_

Green Coat continued to mentally plead as he saw them pass and, at the last moment, Ice Cream caught sight of his staring and lifted up a hand in greeting, not stopping as he walked towards a door way of the stone building next to him.

The young Assassin raised his free hand slowly, a small smile began to form on his face before he caught another set of eyes.

Axe shook his head before he followed the other into building.

The boy swallowed, quickly putting his hand down, before looking back down at his work.

It stung to know Axe was aware he had feelings for the Lock Picker.

_"Keep away from him, Green Coat. You'll only get yourself hurt."_

Green Coat frowned.

He'd get hurt if he was paired up with the man?! Didn't Axe know he was already hurting from the confused feelings fluttering around in his chest?! Getting hurt would be the last thing Ice Cream could do to him, he already wielded so much unknown power over the green clad twenty year old it was beyond frustrating that he would never know.

Green Coat slammed the hammer down upon the soft metal with new vigor.

 ~

Green Coat flinched as a stack of paper was hurled into his face.

“God 'elp the both of ya.”

The young Assassin looked up from his small table in the workshop to see Axe walking past, going to sit down on a pile of logs.

Green Coat looked down and saw a number of written notes in cursive handwriting. He began to gather them up in his gloved hands, trying not to get soot or oil smeared over the delicate ink hand writing. A mission. He was being drafted for one. The Assassin frowned, he didn't want to go out on a mission, he had to perfect this new contraption before he-

Wait.

Was that...

His heart beat quickened.

Green Coat quickly scanned the pages until he found-

“Not my doing, I _assure_ you.”

Green Coat stared up at his ex-mentor, mouth agape before he looked back down, not believing what he was seeing. There in the official order from the Mentor was the following:

 _The brothers of_ "Ice Cream" _and_ "Green Coat" _are here by paired together for_ a month _._ _This mission statement is binding on the evidence of signatures._ _Should an aforementioned brother take issue, a formal appeal shall be made to the Commanding Area Assassin-_

Axe sighed, long and hard.

“The mission is in three weeks. Three brothers need to gain entry into a Barron's Chateau, that has, not one but _four_ locks between us and a document of great importance. I've spoken to the council, and they have told me to get my best lock specialists onto it- and quit ya grinning, you!"

Green Coat had sprung up behind his work bench, beaming, feeling his heart hammering, only faintly hearing what Axe was saying.

He looked at the large space under both their names and saw a loopy and animated looking signature under Ice Cream's name.

Axe looked away, grumbling, upon seeing Green's questioning look.

“He's in the library-AND DON'T SODDIN' RUN!”

~

Green Coat burst into the main building and sprinted down the long corridor of the Parisian Assassin HQ. He passed group upon group of Assassins, who looked at him in bewilderment as he dashed passed. His entire being was on fire, he was going to finally, _finally_ , work with the man! He jumped down the stairs, two at a time, before continuing his pace down a stony corridor, trying to remember where the hell the library was.

Finally, after heading down a couple of wrong corridors, he skidded to a halt outside a large door.

He breathed in, trying to catch his breath and turned the handle.

The thick smell of dust and mold hit his being, old worm eaten wood creaked as his boots tapped lightly on the wooden floor, as he entered the dark and quiet library. He looked around, seeing rows upon rows of books. Some were open, closed, filed away neatly, their spines shining with the titles of ancient stories and advice from long dead authors. Green Coat suppressed a shudder. He always considered the library to be haunted as a child, the idea that someone's writing was still present in a book, when the owner was long dead disturbed him. It was like the past was constantly there, effecting the present day lives of the living. One only had to open up a book to hear it.

Green Coat craned his neck to the left and right, seeking out a white and tanned clothed figure among the dark tomes.

“Ice Cream?”

Silence was his answer as he peered round a corner.

"Ice Cream," he said a little bit louder into the air. "Are you in here-?"

“Green Coat...?”

The Assassin turned at the sound, heading straight for it, his blood pounding in his ears as he pin pointed where the voice was. He turned a corner and saw the man sitting at a table near a tall window. Green Coat coughed, trying to will the giddy excitement from his face and body. He approached and found the other with a small dark blue, almost green, book in his hands, the front cover held an embossed image in white lines of a roman bath.

Green Coat held up the yellow papers with pride.

“Axe just informed me we are to be partners on a mis-”

“Oh Green Coat, why are you covered in soot?”

It took a few seconds for the young assassin to process this statement, before he realized that he was still wearing his large dark yellow apron that was smeared with black oil, his arms were still in the leather blacksmith gloves and in his hands was a hammer.

Shit.

“Oh...”

He quickly put the hammer down on the table and began to remove his workshop attire, taking out the other item he had been working on, out of his breast pocket, setting it down on the table. Green Coat slung the apron onto the back of a vacant chair and saw the seated man looking curiously at the aforementioned item, before he reached over and picked it up, twirling it in his fingers.

“I've not seen one like this before.”

Green Coat felt pride hit him like a sun beam as he took a seat opposite.

“Where did you get it?”

Green stared, noticing he was becoming captured by those eyes again.

He mentally slapped himself.

“I made-f-found...I found it.”

Ice Cream looked up at him.

“Oh, well...it's a very lucky find,” Ice Cream said, smiling, offering it back to him.

Green Coat crossed his arms on the table, leaning on them.

“No, you keep it.”

Ice Cream raised his eyebrows.

“You're a Lock Picker, are you not?”

Ice Cream cocked his head, raising an eyebrow, before smiling mischievously as he looked down at the pick.

"That I am."

Green Coat smiled, before he realized it was too big a smile and coughed, picking up the yellow tanned paper from the table, distracting himself.

"Do you have a quill and ink I could use?" he asked looking up. "I need to sign this..."

~

Green Coat jerked awake, still wrapped in the white sheets as he heard the door opening, the memory of the first time he was paired up with his lover slowly fading from his mind as he looked over his shoulder at the intruder in the doorway.

Arno.

Green growled under his breath and turned back to facing the wall, once again curling up into a ball, feeling his cheeks crusty with dried tears. He tried to ignore the other moving around as his past memories returned, swimming in and out of his consciousness. He squinted up and saw the window across the way. The lights were on in the street, the sky an inky black and he could hear somewhat silence coming from the tavern down stairs. What time was it? Late but it would be morning at the earliest that he could try and speak to Ice Cream...if...if the man would listen.

Green Coat heard the other re-fitting his bed, most likely with new sheets and hefting his clothes up off the dusty floor.

The Assassin shut his eyes again, more memories coming to the surface demanding his attention. He'd deal with the inevitable territory problem tomorrow, as he heard Arno walk over into his half of the room and close the curtains.

Sleep came to the young Assassin slowly, but it did not provide rest.

~

"I don't think I'm doing this correctly."

Green Coat looked up through his shoulder length hair.

"Let me see."

Green Coat wiped his hands on his apron as he came over to Ice Cream's side, looking down at the small piece of metal in the others hands.

"I've tried to get the hook to bend, but it keeps snapping."

Green Coat frowned, thinking.

"Try putting in the water slower next time, gives the metal time to season."

Ice Cream paused before squinting at the pick in his hands and laughing.

"I'll do that," he winked. "Cheers, Green," before he turned back to his work bench, getting a fresh piece of metal.

"Your welcome," Green Coat smiled, not moving as he watched Ice Cream's back resume his work.

After realizing he was watching the others body for a few seconds too long, Green Coat moved back over to his own work bench, coughing. They were both back at the blacksmith's workshop of the Assassins, the mission a few days ago having gone off without a hitch. Well, save for a slightly startled cat Axe had accidentally stood on the tail of, which had set off the alarm towards the escaping part of the mission. He had to admit though, running at full pelt across the immaculate lawn of that sprawling mansion with Ice Cream at his side was a great feeling that he may or may not have been re-living in his head, these past few days.

“May I ask how you fused it?”

"Hmm?" Green Coat called as he picked up the new lock he had just completed from his work bench, looking it over.

"That lock you're working on."

Green Coat blinked, holding up the contraption, turning around.

"This one?"

Ice Cream looked over his shoulder, nodding.

"I had a quick look while you were in the loo."

The young Assassin blinked again, cocking his head.

"Curiosity got the better of me, I hope you don't mind," Ice Cream offered with a guilty smile.

Green Coat had to pull all his mental strength together not to let his face show the massive grin that was threatening to bloom.

"No, by all means."

Ice Cream wiped his hands on a cloth before walking over to the man.

Green Coat stared, his mind falling again as the man walked towards him, the magnet-like-pull getting stronger with every step the Assassin took.

"I think you fused it with gold."

Green Coat's mind was struggling to keep up with what a smirking Ice Cream was saying.

"Gold-?"

"The fuse on your lock."

"Oh!"

Green Coat looked at the product in his hand, mind snapping back.

“Well, I...”, Green Coat said, leaning closer to show the man. Good God, even after the past three weeks of working with the other, he never got over how amazing Vanilla smelt. Even in this workshop of furnaces, oil and the stench of cooked metal, he could still catch a faint trace of it now and again.

He felt Ice Cream move his body closer to his, looking down into the contraption.

Green Coat had to congratulate himself on the setting. Figuring it was the only place they could talk and share knowledge and not have any other Assassins bother them. Axe was mercifully away somewhere, the man having warned him not to seek out Ice Cream. He kept his promise, Green Coat would argue. Just so long as Axe never found out about their workshop meetings. Of course Ice Cream could mention something, but that would be after his mentor got back. Green Coat was willing to face the man if it meant spending time with the Lock Picker now.

"I used a trick you taught me, Ice Cream. See?"

Green Coat held up the heavy lock and turned it over, accidentally pressing his shoulder gently to the others.

_Keep away from him Green Coat. You'll only get yourself hurt._

How the hell could the man hurt him? What, suffocate him with Vanilla? He was doing a good job of that now, come to think of it...

Green Coat's entire body was shouting at him to get closer.

“You move the pin here," Green Coat said, putting his finger into the lock, "and that makes it so the leaver inside can't be moved.”

Ice Cream squinted into the contraception.

“I can't see it...”

“Here,” Green Coat said, taking the others hand, and pressing it gently to the lock-

Soft.

“Can you feel it?”

His hand was soft.

Green Coat swallowed, feeling his mind going fuzzy. He had never touched Ice Cream, save for when they were helping each other up over a wall, but that was when they were wearing gloves. Skin to skin contact was...

Ice Cream looked down further into the contraption as he made a "ahhh" sound of understanding.

The younger man struggled, the touch of the Lock Picker's skin hitting his brain and engulfing it in a cloud of euphoria and the Assassin known as Green Coat finally failed to control himself.

“Yes I-” Ice Cream began as he looked up.

Something that neither of them could explain shot through the air at the connection of their eyes as Green Coat captured Ice Cream's lips with his own.

The kiss broke slowly, both lingering, the air heavy with steam and unspoken words.

Green Coat swore he could taste Vanilla on his lips.

Ice Cream opened up his eyes, blinking a couple of times, a faint red tinge beginning to blossom across his cheeks. He looked happy, before his eyes focused and his face suddenly drained.

“No.”

Green Coat felt his heart stop.

Ice Cream looked down, eyes darting around the workshop.

“No-”

“What?”

“No, we can't do this-”

Ice Cream pulled his hand away, moving over to his work bench, grabbing his tools at a frantic pace.

Green Coat stood on the spot, numb, watching as the other quickly put his picks and other slender tools back in their leather rolls. Then like being hit in the face with cold water, Green Coat regained his senses.

“W-why? Why can't we do this?”

He moved quickly and caught the others arm, who froze just as he was about to step out into the stone court yard.

“No, please, Green Coat. We can't do this.”

Green Coat swallowed painfully.

“Ice Cream...”

The man didn't make eye contact.

“Ice Cream, look at me."

The light copper haired Assassin closed his eyes.

“Green-”

"Look at me, I'm begging you."

The Assassin very slowly opened up his eyes, but kept them to the ground.

“Never a day goes past where you're not in my thoughts.-"

“Please, don't-”

"I have tried, for so long to rid this attraction to you from my mind, but it will not leave-"

Ice Cream snapped his wet blue eyes to the other man.

"Stop-"

“I am..." Green Coat said, finally making eye contact, "... _enamored_ by you.”

 

Ice Cream stared at the Assassin, his eyes blinking rapidly.

Green Coat had so much he wanted to say but in the face of his attraction he was literally at a loss for words.

Ice Cream kept his eyes on the younger one's before he steeled his face.

“Keep away from me. I'll only hurt you.”

Green Coat shivered at the familiar warning, the other Assassin's tone deeply haunting even through shaking vocal cords. He had repeated the exact same words that Axe had said all those months ago. Anger at his ex-mentor flared up in his stomach. Perhaps it was a front, it had to be. Was Axe putting words into Ice Cream's mouth? But why?

Green Coat swallowed.

“Hurt me?”

Ice Cream shut his eyes.

“Hurt me?!” Green Coat said again in disbelief, not letting go of the arm that was in his grasp. “Nothing you can do will hurt me-”

“You don't know me.”

Green Coat looked down at his hand, still holding Ice Cream's arm. He could feel the other shaking. Was it anger? Green Coat looked up and tried to make eye contact, but...no, it wasn't anger that was making the Assassin in front of him shake faintly...it was...it was fear....he's holding back something. Something...something he didn't want to say...or couldn't....but Axe knew...the warnings...

The twenty year old gently pulled the other towards himself.

"Then let me know you."

Ice Cream paused in anguish, locking his eyes at Green Coat, pain etched across his face before he turned.

"I'm sorry."

“Ice Cream please-!”

Ice Cream yanked his arm away from Green Coat's grip, before walking quickly out into the stone court yard, his tool bag tightly in his grasp.

Green Coat stood on the spot dumfounded as he watched the elder Assassin jog hurriedly up the stone steps and disappear into the building.

Green Coat didn't realize his heart was racing as he slowly turned and walked back to his work bench. Everything was quiet. His world was slowing down, trying to make out what just happened. Sure, he had guessed that Ice Cream might react aggressively to ever being kissed but that was just a dream, he was never going to actually kiss the man-

Green Coat screwed up his eyes.

Shit, why did he do that?! Everything was going along fine and then he had to go and fucking cave in. Losing control over his damn body. He clenched his eyes shut again as a headache began to throb at the base of his skull. He looked down and saw the lock still in his hands, before near enough slamming down the metal contraption onto the workbench. He put his hands to his face as he slumped down onto a nearby stool.

Merde, he should have known Ice Cream didn't feel the same way, why would he? What indication had the man ever given him that he had a chance? Whose to say Ice Cream even felt that way towards men? All this time he had been obsessed with the Lock Picker and just, _just_ , when he was being friendly with him, after their first meeting which involved himself being a complete arse to the man, which his ego never made him apologize for, he had to go and fuck it all up again by kissing the man-

Suddenly he snapped his eyes open, jerking his head up from his palms.

His attraction wasn't one sided.

Because Ice Cream had kissed back.

~


	9. A Bag of Moss

~

Arno didn't bother looking at the door as Green Coat marched out of the room. The young Assassin in training began to chew his bottom lip, eyes watching the flames dancing in the fireplace, mind replying the roof confrontation over and over again in his head. He tried to put all the blame onto Green Coat for the fight, but he knew in truth, he couldn't. He, Arno Victor Dorian, was the one who raised his fist first. But then Green Coat _had_ lured him up there, started insulting him and then to add insult to injury, had thrown his diary down into the street where it still probably was. It seemed no matter what he did, the other man only offered him scorn, which was very difficult to work with when that person was now annoyingly sharing his sleeping quarters. Arno looked up at the window across the fire lit room. He could leap out, scale the wall down into the dark street and get his poor diary back. But then he heard the main door down stairs open and the voice of Axe drift up from the street, cursing again as the man left the tavern. Arno made a new mental note to begin the search at first light; he was not going to lose that diary a second time.

The twenty-one year old sighed loudly. His eyes finally casting themselves over to the slammed shut door. Both of them were just as much to blame for their current situation. Axe was right. The fight was stupid, pointless and immature. Arno nodded to himself, mentally gathering his wits. In the morning he would go and see Axe, try and speak to him, not to excuse his behavior but to let the older man know that he acknowledged the mistake he made and to assure the bear-like-Assassin that it wouldn't happen again.

Arno put his hands down onto his legs, bending to get up which was when he saw the smeared and dried blood stain on his right thigh. He stared at it, blinking. He turned his leg left and right, trying to see the cut that had made it, or a rip in the fabric of his trousers. Finding nothing obvious, and after quickly making sure the cost was clear, Arno dropped his trousers to get better access, checking his thigh. He frowned. No scratches, no cuts, nothing. Relief bloomed in his chest as ran his hand over his thigh, feeling smooth skin before he pulled his trousers back up, but it was soon replaced with bewilderment.

Where had the blood come from?

Arno put a hand to his jaw, feeling for evidence that he suffered more than just a few bruises during his tussle with Green Coat. He felt his cheek smart, no doubt from where the other man had back handed him, and the right side of his arse was starting to ache where he had hit the tiles as Ice Cream restrained him, but nothing more. The Assassin stood up, checking his arms, other leg and anywhere he felt tender. But nothing. "Probably Green's," Arno muttered looking again at the door the other twenty one year old had left from. Arno sighed and made for it.

Time to get on with his punishment.

Arno walked to his room, having quickly nipped down to the kitchen for some food, and saw the door firmly shut. He paused at the door. He really didn't want to be around Green Coat right now. Not that he thought he would continue the fight, but just...Arno wanted peace, that was all. Space to think, space to cool. Coughing, he put his free hand to the door knob and pushed. The door opened and he was greeted by a dimly lit room. Evening had crept up on them but he could still make out figures in the room. He saw movement from across the way, but only for the briefest of moments before he caught sight of his own bed, now no longer a double, in the middle of the room, his cloths haphazardly lying on the dusty wooden floor.

Normally he would throw an insult at the other for such an action, but that was before he and the other had been scolded by their leader. Plus, he was too mentally exhausted to argue now. Arno resigned and walked into the room shutting the door with a small "click". He continued over to his crooked bed, straightening the head board up to the side of the wall, before returning to gather his clothes from the floor, giving them a shake and placing them on the side. The young Assassin walked over to the cupboard and pulled out fresh sheets, making his bed, noticing Green Coat stirring at the motion.

Arno sighed. Maybe he should just get it over and done with and apologize now. They were alone after all. What was it his father always told him? Never let the sun go down on an argument? Well, the sun had well and truly gone down by the time he fixed his bed but still, he wanted to say something...

“Green Coat,” he called, more quietly than he had expected.

The silent figure, curled up in a ball on his own bed under the sheets at the far end of the room, didn't move.

“Green Coat,” Arno said a bit louder with a cough, but the man remained frozen.

Arno sighed sadly as he walked over to the other half of the room, now taking no notice of the other man, as he pulled the drapes across the window, before returning back to his bed. Kicking off his boots, Assassin jacket and trousers, Arno settled down for the night. He stared up at the ceiling, at the wooden beams crisscrossing above him. He wasn't surprised that he got no answer from Green Coat. Perhaps it was wrong to try and speak to him now, he thought as he felt his hidden blade under his pillow. The Assassin felt safer now that he knew his weapon was still there. Not that Arno seriously thought Green would stick a knife in him while asleep, but due to the nature of their work, he didn't take chances.

None of them did.

Arno once again looked over at the sleeping and mute man. He didn't want the duties of tomorrow to cloud the inevitable talk the two of them were going to have. But... Arno shut his eyes, turning on his side. Sleep was what was best for now. He wanted to speak to Axe and Ice Cream too; let them know everything would be alright between him and Green Coat. Arno agreed with them; they'd been hot headed and just...just... had to get over their personality clash or what ever the hell the issue was.

~

For three and a half weeks the Blue and Green Coated Assassins shared a room.

At first they were silent, flitting between cold indifference to outright scorn. Better to ignore each others presence then to start a fight. But a few times they had reached boiling point, when one of them encroached, either knowingly or unknowingly, into the others part of the room. But they never came to blows. Arno had tried speaking to Green Coat the following morning after their chastising but the man just look at him coldly saying quietly “Nothing you _ever_ have to say will be of any importance to me.” Arno had then resigned, letting the man try and see reason in his own time, but as the days passed, and the tension increased, he began to be less forgiving towards the man. Neither would admit to it, but their old pattern of glaring and scorn had returned in earnest.

At the order of Axe, missions were put on hold. Whether that was due to the fallout from the fight or they indeed had no missions, Arno didn't know. But was willing to bet the entire contents of his wallet on the former. But they had not all been idle. The note taking had begun once more, picking up where they had left off from their former HQ. Arno had been impressed that their leader had saved the large brown ledger from the fire. He had not seen Ice Cream all that much, the man's sickness had gone, Axe  had informed him, but in the past few days he heard the man was once again confined to his room. Arno cursed. Perhaps that medicine he gave him didn't work? Or maybe he was suffering from something else this time...

He wasn't the only one who was sick. Green Coat had developed a chesty cough but continued his work. He had moved his work station into Arno's room, setting up shop in the same corner of the room as his bed, stacking his bits of metal and new collection of newspapers next to it. Most days Arno would return from his scouting operations and would only have to hear from the main tavern down stairs if Green was still in their room from the loud coughing. Arno had returned one day to see a pale Ice Cream looking at the door of his and Green Coat's room, before he saw Arno and quickly walked away.

Arno was on speaking terms with the rest of the group now, for he had begun to mend the damage with the rest in the group the morning after his and Green's scolding. First by saying his peace with Axe, the older man nodding thoughtfully as the youngster spoke. The Axe Assassin had accepted his apology, sealing it with a heavy slap on the shoulder, pressing something to Arno's chest muttering, "Don't lose it again". He had looked down and saw the small black diary in his hands. The shoulder slapping and friendly action making Arno's heart feel lighter.

Then it was Ice Cream's turn. Axe had called out to Green Coat one morning, asking him to accompany himself to get food for dinner, liver apparently, whispering to Arno than now would be a good time to make peace with Ice Cream. Arno didn't miss the hidden meaning from Axe by physically removing Green Coat away from the tavern. Arno didn't know if Green Coat and Ice Cream had patched things up, but things were strained between them. But musing on that wasn't a top priority for him. Right now, saying he was sorry to Ice Cream was all that mattered.

Arno waited until the two other men were away before he tried to speak to Ice Cream. He began by looking around the tavern, quiet now that it was morning, but yet couldn't find him. He wondered what the man would say. Would he put the blame on Arno and favor Green Coat? Surely the man knew how much the other Assassin fawned over him...didn't it bother or annoy him? It would drive himself insane, Arno thought as he continued his searching. After a while of finding nothing, Arno sighed and began to walk to the stairs, back to his bedroom, when suddenly he heard a door opening and saw the thirty-six year old man, his wavy hair hanging around his face, entering the kitchen back door. Arno jogged to the kitchen and noticed a familiar small white bag in the older man's grasp. His Assassin long coat swishing around his frame. Ice Cream looked tired and there were hints of sadness radiating from his body before he saw the young man. Arno paused. Ice Cream looked pale again.

“Ah, good morning Arno,” Ice Cream said, pulling the door shut and bolting it behind himself, before putting the familiar small drawn string white bag down onto the table.

Arno nodded but found he suddenly couldn't stop looking at the bag. It was the same one that the man had dropped on the stairs when he found the Lock Picker hunched over in pain. It was curiously round and looked like it was full of something soft.

“Moss.”

Arno looked up, blinking.

“Pardon?”

“In the bag. It's moss,” Ice Cream continued, opening up the draw string and showing the Assassin. Arno leaned over and sure enough there were clumps of moss inside the bag; moist green and brown sods with small roots fluffing out all over the place filled a good portion of the material.

“I find it's useful for healing injuries. It soaks up blood if one of us gets hurt...” Ice Cream said at the questioning look from Arno.

“...and you're injured?”

“No,” Ice Cream said quickly, before snapping the rope taut and tying the bag. “But it never hurts to have some in reserve. Especially when one works with a man who's nickname is used to chop down trees.”

Arno chuckled before he realized something.

“Oh, so that's where it came from...”

“Hmm?” The taller man asked as he stuffed the white bag into an inner coat pocket.

“When I helped you into bed the other day, I saw something fall out of your jacket.”

Ice Cream froze.

“I picked it up, t'was wet so I wiped my hand on my trousers and it was covered in blood,” Arno continued, pointing to his leg, oblivious to Ice Cream's stare.

Ice Cream looked slowly up at him as the ex-templar continued.

“You must have hurt yourself after the explosion at the old HQ?”

“...y-yes...”, Ice Cream said coughing, looking away distracted.

Arno felt something odd pawing at his gut.

“Is everything alright...?” Arno asked, “The sickness you came down with-”

Ice Cream nodded. “It cleared up, but I wouldn't be surprised if it returns. I've had this...trouble all my life.”

Arno nodded slowly in thought, worrying his brow. Something...something didn't add up, but he would be buggered if he could figure out what.

"But I've kept the medicine you gave me," Ice Cream smiled warmly, snapping Arno out of his thoughts. "Thank you for that."

Arno smiled as he felt the conversation close, but then remember why he had sought out Ice Cream in the first place.

“Could, er...could we have a talk about...?”

Ice Cream paused, before offering him a small and somewhat sad smile. “Of course,” he said, indicating to a couple of lone stools at the side of the kitchen. Arno and the other man took their seats. They were quiet for a moment, Arno resting his elbows on his knees, fingers intertwined, looking down at the gap between his knees, trying to organize the apology in his head.

“Where to start...,” he said, cringing.

“You don't have to tell me why it began.”

Arno looked up, curiously.

“Green Coat told you?”

“No.”

“Oh...?”

“I've not spoken to him,” Ice Cream said, sadness evident in his voice.

At this Arno was truly shocked. He thought that their friendship was the first thing Green Coat would try and patch up. Indeed, the morning after their telling off, Arno had woken to find the second bed empty, assuming Green Coat had gone to apologize to the other Assassins.

Apparently not...

After an uncomfortable silence, Ice Cream's voice, somewhat croaky, filled the air.

“I know you're here to ask for my forgiveness. And I will tell you now that I do, indeed, forgive you. Both myself and Axe have watched the two of you and your attempts at making peace with Green Coat have not gone unnoticed.”

Arno nodded, “Thank you...”

Suddenly a scowling Green, eyes full of hatred, flashed into his mind, the Bastille's smoke wafting around his emerald glad figure as his eyes bore into Arno's. The ex-templar looked at the man opposite. He had considered talking to Axe about Green's attitude towards him. But the older man brushed him off, saying that Green Coat had a permanent grump about him, that he would find anything or anyone to find fault with. It was just his nature, apparently. He'd come round in the end, Axe had assured him, but as time wore on Arno was becoming suspicious this was not the case. But what would Ice Cream say? Would he say the same thing? If so then it would perhaps settle this gut feeling of something amiss that swarmed around Green Coat. But then what if Ice Cream said something different? Maybe Green was right and he had been upsetting the group unknowingly after all? Well, if anyone was going to answer truthfully without glaring at him or waving him off, Ice Cream was the man to ask. Arno coughed. It couldn't hurt to try...

“Ice Cream, may I ask you something?”

The man nodded.

“Have I....” Arno began, looking away, before letting his thoughts free. “Have I done something, anything at all...to upset this group?”

Ice Cream looked at him puzzled.

“Apart from the obvious between myself and Green Coat,” Arno said. “I mean prior...when I first joined our group.”

The older Assassin thought for a moment before shaking his head, light locks of copper hair following the movement around his face.

“No...what makes you think you have?” Ice Cream asked, looking confused.

Arno bit the inside of his lip. He needed to know. Needed to know what the hell was going on with Green Coat's attitude towards himself. Green's relationship with Axe seemed normal enough, apart from the scolding, Arno had never heard the other two argue. But when it came to Ice Cream, Green Coat seemed almost in love with the man.

Arno's eyes widened a fraction. No...he couldn't be...surely not...

Arno looked back up to the older Assassin. The pawing in his gut was getting stronger, whether from the lack of food, or this new thought, he didn't know.

He breathed in.

“Is Green-”

“Right 'ere, lad.”

The two Assassins turned and looked up to see Green Coat and Axe entering the kitchen from the tavern entrance.

“Welcome back,” Ice Cream smiled at Axe, before he quickly looked at Green Coat, then away again, his face falling ever so faintly.

Arno worried his lip as he watched the other men. How long had they been in the tavern? He did a mental check and even if Axe or Green Coat had heard their conversation there was nothing to worry about. Indeed, if Green Coat had heard him asking if he had upset the group then that may prove helpful in breaching the subject with him.

Axe nodded as he walked past Arno and Ice Cream, continuing into the main room of the tavern.

Green Coat was silent, hesitant almost, in his foot steps as he followed the larger man. He tried to open his mouth but Arno noticed the way Ice Cream turned away, suddenly preoccupying himself with something on a nearby table. Both Arno and Green Coat watched him pick up an apple and leave the room. Arno began to stand up from his wooden stool, before he saw Green Coat's shoulders slump ever so slightly and before he walked back out of the door he had just come from.

~

Arno couldn't sleep that night.

The earlier encounter with the other Assassin in the kitchen playing repeatedly in his mind, over and over again. The way Ice Cream had ignored Green Coat, the way the younger man's body slumped...there was, very obviously, much more going on within the group's social politics. But what that "more" was, Arno had no idea. So far he had concluded that Green Coat near enough worshiped Ice Cream. Looked up to him. But...argh, he couldn't put his finger on the exact issue. The thought that Green Coat fancied Ice Cream was hilarious, but each time he thought about it the pawing in his gut came back.

Pff, it was ridiculous.

After all, he had not seen them engage in anything that would constitute a hidden love affair. True, if it was going on then they would not do so in public but...it just seemed too far fetched. In fact, if there was any loving going on it was Axe banging on about how the local girls in this part of town were gorgeous, but they had nothing on his wife. They had been eating together one night in the tavern with Green Coat absent, for liver wasn't a dish he enjoyed, when Axe had begun to talk about his wife. Which always involved her good naturally slapping him on the back on the head for some mister meaner. Axe loved strong women as it goes, and she was the strongest one he had ever known. Arno had to agree that he could understand, strong women were amazing to be around but he argued that soft and quiet ones were just as awe inspiring. When neither man backed down on which was better and feeling the debate reaching a point, Arno had turned to the third man and asked his opinion. Ice Cream had blushed, hiding his face with a cough, saying he wouldn't know. Axe had then teased him, good naturally, that it was probably for the best, for he proposed that if Ice Cream got any woman pregnant he would drop everything and leave the Brotherhood to play house husband. "Indeed," Ice Cream had laughed. "I'd change the nappies, too."

Arno grunted, turning in bed. Sleep was avoiding him so he begrudgingly got out of bed. In the moon light he looked over and saw Green Coat once again curled up on his bed. Every now and again the man would splutter, waking himself up during a coughing fit. Arno had suggested to the man that he should take some medicine and to ask Ice Cream for it, which at the mention of the other Assassin, the twenty-one year old told Arno to go do something vile with part of his anatomy. 

Arno wiped his face with his hands.

Hmm, maybe if he plied himself with drink he could sleep, so after dressing, Arno Dorian descended the stairs and joined in a few friendly drinks with the tavern's punters. He was half way through his third drink, chatting to Mirabeau about how he was genuinely sorry about the damage to his roof and asking how his newspaper was going, when he felt a soft touch on his arm. He looked around from his place at the bar, to see Ice Cream who nodded off to the side.  Arno took a swig of his drink and followed the man. François  was passing with a crate of beer and Arno nabbed two of the bottles, saying to put it on Axe's tab. The boy had nodded before he continued on his way. When he had left, Arno saw Ice Cream open up a door to the wine cellar. He followed, beers in hand.

The noise of the party was dull to their ears now, as Arno offered the second bottle to the man. Ice Cream took it when they reached the floor, stopped and leaned up against the side of a large wine barrel, crossing an arm across his chest, swinging the beer bottle by it's neck in the other hand.

“Earlier, you wanted to ask me something?”

Arno, his mind now a little bit more fuzzy from the drink, weighed up his options. What was it he wanted to ask Ice Cream...? Oh! That was it, about Green Coat. He could outright ask why Ice Cream put up with such fawning. Why Green Coat seemed to be his shadow. Was it tied into his seemingly never ending distaste for Arno? Ha, perhaps he would ask if he knew Green Coat was in love with him.

The pawing in his gut began to rise to the surface.

Ice Cream watched the young pup hesitate.

“I won't tell Green.”

Arno's instincts told him to hold his tongue but the drink, mingled with a very unwelcome image of that dark look on top of the wall, mixed with new confidence that comes with drink, Arno opened up his mouth.

“I never seem to be in his good graces,” Arno blurted, somewhat slurred, walking up to Ice Cream, open beer bottle swishing in his grasp.

“I find 'e is cold in his answers towards me and I cannot fathom why and for what purpose.”

Ice Cream smiled sadly.

“That's just how he is...”

Arno paused and studied Ice Cream's face, partly hidden by the lightly tanned cowl. The next sentence would not have passed his inner moral checker but the drink had numbed it well and truly mute.

“Well, not when it comes to you,” Arno said hiccuping, taking another swig from his bottle. “By him you can do no wrong,” he said wiping his mouth on the back of his hand as his mind screamed at him not to say the next sentence. "He worships the ground you walk on, is constantly by your side. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if he secretly wants to fuck you."

He missed the look on Ice Cream's face.

"At the Bastille, he gave me _such_ a look, Ice," Arno said, beginning to pace. "It's like...he's jealous of me or somethin'. And you know what, every single God damn time you n' me sparred together he would look at me like I was a piece o' shit. Every time we spoke together, you remember our book chats, righ' Ice? Well, he would always be glaring at me from behind your back like...like...are you gonna drink that?"

Ice Cream blinked before he saw Arno pointing at the beer bottle in his hand. He shook his light brown copper head, putting the drink down on the side as Arno continued to rant.

"I try to make piece with 'im, but it just blows up in my soddin' face. I might as well just give up. Hell will sooner freeze over then get him to stop hating me. I've tried to bring it up with Axe, but he never wants to talk about it.."

He noticed it was quiet. He turned and looked at the man across from him. He frowned as he realized pink was flooding into Ice Cream's cheeks.

“Ice...you know why he hates me...!”

“He doesn't hate you, Arno.”

Arno felt frustration beginning to boil in his stomach. Of course Green-fucking-Coat hated him. Why else would he cause so much aggravation? Here he was pouring out his grievances to someone he thought would give him some answers and the man just stood there looking strained...wait...perhaps Ice Cream was in on it too, a small vindictive voice called from within. Huh, the Lock Picker and the Lock Smith. Forming plots and technologies together. Well, he had to admit, the two were close friends, of course Ice Cream was to side with him. He hated to think that, but if the man was going to take that arse's side then perhaps he didn't know the Lock Picker after all.

"Then what?" Arno said angrily, swaying slightly.

Ice Cream looked to the side, before looking back to Arno.

"...that's just how he is."

“Tosh,” Arno said, after a long pause, taking a another drink, finishing the bottle.

Now it was Ice Cream's turn to bite the inside of his lip. Arno narrowed his eyes, getting the distinct impression Ice Cream was holding back the real reason. Which then only served to fire up his drunken temper. The man knew, he _friggin'_ knew why Green hated him so much... Why couldn't the Lock Picker just tell him? They were meant to be friends after all right? A team?

After silence had descended, a drunk Arno finally lost his patience as he moved towards the other man but in doing so he tripped and fell against an upturned barrel, hitting his chin. Ice Cream darted forwards to help him, but Arno shook him off, the pain sending a well needed jolt of reality to his brain that he was drunk and needed to shut the hell up.

“My apologies,” he said stiffly, nodding, slightly unsteady on his feet as he turned, rubbing his chin. “I should not have mentioned anything.”

Asking Ice Cream had been the wrong decision, he realized, as he made his way to the bottom of the stairs and began to climb. What the hell was he expecting to get from the Lock Picker? Such a wrong decision he had made and, oh, perhaps having that third pint was also not a good idea as his bladder began to protest-

“Arno.”

Arno stopped and reluctantly look back down the stairs, the other man not having left his spot. He looked and saw piercing blue eyes looking at him in the candle light. A shiver ran down his body at how clear those eyes were as Ice Cream spoke.

“It's not you that concerns him...”

~

Green Coat coughed, accidentally waking himself up, as he rolled onto his front, coughing more. When the hacking had subsided, Green Coat looked around him and saw Arno was not in the room. Good. He could get on with his technical issues in peace then. He pushed the light covers off of himself, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, feeling pain stabbing in his brain, pulling his lose white shirt collar up over his shoulder again. The young Assassin felt around for a match and, upon finding it, lit the small lamp that was perched on his table. He squinted at the brilliant light, the pain in his head intensifying as he sat at his chair with a sigh, looking out of the window. He could see light filtering from the far edge of the building, no doubt where the main door to the tavern was situated. He also could hear the laughter and drunken antics of the customers downstairs. He coughed again, reaching over and gathering up a blue piece of cloth, before holding it to his nose, inhaling deeply. Vanilla filled his lungs and he sighed, his headache abating somewhat.

God, he missed Ice Cream.

He hated waking up in this room. Not because it was Arno's room but of the fact he was waking up cold. He was so used to Ice Cream's warm embrace that the cold of the air struck at his bones. He coughed again, this time spitting up some mucus.

~

Arno paused and saw piercing blue eyes looking at him in the candle light of the wine cellar. A shiver ran down his body at how clear those eyes were, like water he mused before wondering why the man's voice was quiet. But at the previous image of water, his bladder called and he continued up the staircase, bidding the other a wobbly good night. Jesus, his chin was hurting and he had to get over to the loo before his bladder's call turned into a scream.

Arno growled as he made for the bathroom, rubbing his chin again and found blood on his hand. Shit, he had bitten his lip when he fell. "Could use some of that moss now," he grumbled before he found the toilet. But upon seeing, or rather smelling the gut wrenching stench, he turned and headed outside to the side alley for a wall to piss up against. He staggered, through the crowd and finally made it into the street. The air was crisp, but the drink made him feel deceptively warm as he found a good spot away from prying eyes. His anger beginning to fuel his thoughts as he saddled up to the wall and undid his trousers. He looked up from his position against the wall and saw the dark window of his shared room with his green aggressor high above. There was a light on inside.

Arno felt his anger spike.

Perhaps if he kicked the hornet’s nest he would get some answers.

~

Green Coat looked back down at his work station. He took stock of his things, mentally going over the small cogs and wheels and- Green Coat doubled over, coughing loudly. The headache coming back at full force to slam against the back of his eyes. He shut them, pressing his thumbs to the inner corners, trying to block out the pain. No, he couldn't work. He had to sleep. Had to force his body to rest. He picked up a small bottle of amber liquid and stumbled back to the bed. He opened it and scattered some drops of liquid onto the pillow. After closing the bottle, he dropped it to the side and fell into bed, closing his eyes, the smell of Vanilla extract seeping into his senses, soothing his brain as sleep took him once more.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (please pardon the long break that was between the posting of Chapter Eight and Nine. This was due to work commitments at the time. - Moon aka altmaltotheface)


	10. The Secret of Nothing. Part One.

~

“You two are no longer working together.”

“What?! By who's orders?-”

“Ice Cream's.”

Green Coat stared straight into the face of his ex-mentor, the elder's eyes hard and stoney. He shifted on the spot, blinking, his mouth trying to form words but failing. So far his twenty-first birthday was turning out to be a right shite-fest of a day, indeed. Not only had he heard that Ice Cream's room had been broken into, but his own Lock Smithing tools had gone missing as well. The contents of his bag had been replaced with a random statue of a lion from one of the galleries. Also it didn't help he had slept in and missed the allotted breakfast time. And after finding a new and rather large tear in his jacket he was ready to call it a day. He had lost count of the amount of times he had sewn and hemmed that coat, but over his dead body would he be parted with it. Food would have to wait...unless he could pinch something from the cook. His tools, well he would have to do some interrogation, but why the hell his Lock Smithing tools had been replaced with an antique statue, he had no clue. But all that came before faded into the background with this new information Axe had presented to him. Green coat forced his emotions down, looking sideways, clearing his throat even though he felt like he had been slapped in the face with an iron rod.

“...Did....did he give a reason?”

Axe looked at him through eyes that bore into his very soul, before those hazel eyes narrowed.

“Do you _really_ want me to answer that, son?”

Green Coat blanched. Did...did Ice Cream tell Axe what had happened in the workshop?! If so then...well, he probably would be sporting a broken nose right about now, knowing Axe, but just before Green Coat could answer he noticed his mentor didn't look angry but rather was now sporting a look like he had just been proven right about something.

“I told ya' Green, you're too much for him.”

Green Coat remained silent, trying to not let how low his shoulders slumped.

“Look, lad," Axe sighed, before he crossed his arms. "Even though I'm not your mentor anymore, I still see you as my student. I still care about you, ya' daft bugger-”

He slapped the twenty-first year old on the shoulder, who staggered.

“...I just want the best for ya'. And if that means agreeing to break up a partnership then so be it.”

Green Coat closed his eyes as Axe continued.

“Ice Cream is my student, and as such, I don't want those in my charge to be intimidated by others-"

“Intimidated?!" Green Coat shot back feeling horrified and equally frustrated. Had...had he scared Ice Cream away? Well, it was plausible. He had kissed the man out of the blue and then emotionally vomited over him. Green Coat felt his cheeks becoming hot. He was such an idiot, such a fool...what was it they said about fools in love? They rush in? He wasn't in love with Ice Cream, he had tried to tell himself again and again. But he knew he was only lying to himself. He had never know what love was like. Parental love, yes. His mother and father had been caring and loving even before they died. He had been very young when they passed over but could still remember their unconditional support. But Green Coat had never known attraction. And that fact frightened him.

“I admit I was wrong and you were right, Green.”

Green Coat looked up.

“The two of you working together. Lad, I haven't seen breaking down doors that fast in all my years...”

A spark of hope erupted inside the young Assassin's chest, a smile ghosted across his lips.

“But give it time. You're still full of beans and I wouldn't be surprised if you suffer from the Jitters, either.”

Green Coat shifted on the spot.

“Now, I'm not saying I won't ever pair you two up again, because I will,” the Axe carrying man continued, as the emerald wearing twenty-one year old looked at him.

“It's just Ice Cream's new to this," his ex-mentor smiled, gesturing to the Parisian HQ they were in. "Give him time.”

Green Coat nodded. Yes, he needed to give Ice Cream time. The fact Ice Cream was older was tricking his brain into thinking that the man knew more about being an Assassin than himself. Ice Cream had only just joined the Brotherhood of Assassins. It shocked Green Coat to think it was just over a year ago. He frowned. If Ice Cream didn't want to work with him, then so be it. He couldn't force the man, and he wouldn't want too. But then that didn't explain one thing. One thing that was tugging at his mind as he nodded to an exiting Axe. Green Coat stood alone for a few moments in the entrance hall, letting this thought dominate. If Ice Cream wanted nothing to do with him then why did he kiss back?

~

The young Assassin ran around the HQ, pure anger and hurt feeding every muscle in his body. Turned out a bunch of cocky new Novices had thought it would be hilarious to pinch his equipment and weigh his bag down with that heavy marble statue; betting that he wouldn't notice. He was so grumpy that he deserved it, they had said. Well Green Coat hoped that they were enjoying their winnings as he had let his fist tell them just how much of a grump he could be. He knew he wouldn't be expelled for the beating he gave them, but at least now they knew not  to cross him. He came to a running stop down a corridor, flexing his right hand, seeing a couple of fresh bruises blossoming. He didn't particularly enjoy punching Novices, but in this instance he made an exception. He opened up his light brown bag and picked up the hand sized white lion statue from within. He palmed it, feeling the cool stone soothing his knuckles. Green Coat had tried to find out where the Novices had got it from, but made the mistake of asking when the thieves were already running away from him, holding their broken noses. No matter. He would try and find it himself. Green Coat continued on his way, walking around the HQ building, looking for anywhere a statue might be missing-

A tanned and cream coated Assassin walked past him in a wave of Vanilla.

"Ice Cream!" Green Coat called, quickly discarding the statue down onto a nearby table.

The man didn't stop his journey as he walked round to the right and disappeared into a corridor, his Assassin long coat billowing in his wake. Green Coat went after him. Sure enough he had purposely avoided the Lock Picker. Given him space. But that had been two weeks ago. He had hoped that perhaps Ice Cream would speak to him; be the one to initiate a conversation. Say something about why, indeed, he had broken their partnership. Sure it could be from the kiss, but Ice Cream had kissed back! Green Coat had waited for any starter conversation, but it was in vain. Silence had been his only answer.

"Ice Cream, wait, I want to talk to you!" Green Coat called as he walked fast to catch up to him.

Ice Cream took one look at the Assassin and walked faster, down another corridor as the young man caught up to his side.

“Ice Cream, stop.”

But the man didn't.

Green Coat scowled, anger beginning to flood into his system. Damn it, couldn't the man even give him the decent manner to look at him?!

“I said STOP!”

Green Coat reached out and touched an upper arm, before the taller man suddenly spun at the contact, as if being touched by fire, and hurled the youngster up against the side of the corridor, with a loud thump. He didn't struggle, so surprised was he at the man's anger. Green Coat could feel the man's body pinning his own against the wall, but any arousal that had sprung up was now withering considering Ice Cream was pinning him painfully there. Green Coat spluttered as an arm was pressed across his neck.

“Keep. Away, ” Ice Cream growled, his breath ghosting across the Assassin's face. "From. Me."

Green Coat blinked and saw his own startled reflection in the man's sky blue eyes. Oh, he had missed those. Part of him noticed that he could press his lips to the others if only he was to tilt his head a fraction. He shifted against the pressure on his neck, trying not to drown in Vanilla. The arm wasn't depriving him of air, but it was hurting all the same. Not knowing what to say, Green Coat let his frustration take over.

"Why...?" he choked out.”...Because I intimidate you?"

Ice Cream stared at him. His blue eyes looking from one dark eye to the other.

Green Coat swallowed, painfully, before he continued, watching as Ice Cream battled with something inside his head.

“You want me to leave you alone, fine," the younger Assassin said, watching how Ice Cream's face was slowly becoming crimson. “After today, I will keep as far away from you as I physically can. But on one condition.”

Ice Cream leaned further into Green Coat's face, his intense gaze never faltering and for a split second Green Coat thought he was going to kiss him.

“We have nothing to say to each other,” the tall man half whispered half growled, before he let go of the youngster, who fell to the floor. Green Coat rubbed his neck, watching as the other man stormed away, his heavy long coat swishing behind him. Green Coat panted slightly from where he was hunched over, back to the wall, as he watched the back of the man he loved walk away.

“Why did you kiss back?”

Greens Coat saw Ice Cream stop dead in the hall way, his back still to the younger as the loud question danced around them in a teasing echo. They were silent for a long time before the slightly taller one spoke, not moving his head.

“It was a mistake.”

“A mistake?!” Green Coat snorted.

“Yes. Now if you will excuse me, I have business to attend to.”

The young Assassin watched as the man continued on his way, disappearing from view.

“Liar,” Green Coat snarled under his breath. He had known the other long enough to realize when he was being lied too. He was going to get to the bottom of this one way or another.

~

“What are you so afraid of?” Green Coat demanded, as he jumped down from the stone steps, walking fast to catch up to the other passing by.

“Must you keep harassing me?” Ice Cream called, annoyance obvious.

“Then tell me," the green Assassin said, not relenting in his walking. "Tell me to my face that you didn't kiss back.”

Ice Cream hunched his shoulders up but kept walking. Green Coat really didn't want to harass the man, but he would be damned if he was going down without a fight. He needed to hear it. Needed to hear it from the man's mouth that he didn't kiss back and that his attraction is one sided.

“Tell me, and I promise I will never bother you again.”

Ice Cream's knuckles went white on his shoulder bag.

“Just tell me this attraction to you is one sided!-”

**“ _GREEN COAT!”_**

The younger man stopped dead, skidding on the lose pebble pathway as he jerked back from the force of the others roar, the man now facing him, anger contorting his face. The shout of fury echoed off the sides of the buildings around them, being sucked into the surrounding plant life. Green Coat knew he had just crossed the line. Ice Cream looked livid. But the twenty-one year old couldn't miss the pain in the others clear eyes. Fury and anger emitting from the taller body sent a shudder down the younger Assassin's spine.

_I know you Green, if there is a line in the sand, aye, you'll be the one to cross it._

He tried to shut out the voice of Axe playing around in his head, reminding him that he was impulsive and obsessive but the cooler side of his brain, the one that always criticized him, agreed that Axe was right. He was frustrated. He just wanted out of this feeling. He wanted Ice Cream to let him go. To tell him, in his own voice, that he didn't have feelings for the Assassin. Even a punch from Ice Cream would be acceptable. Anything to stop this longing for the other man. Green Coat was tired. Tired of sleepless nights of pining for the other man. Tired of trying to work out why he was so attracted to Axe's new student.

“We are Assassins. We have secrets. You. Me. Axe. All of us,” Ice Cream snarled into his face. “Yes, I kissed you back. Why? Because I felt something for you."

Green Coat swallowed as the man continued.

“When we work together, when we talk...I am beyond happy. Whenever I am around you, I feel..." Ice Cream looked in physical pain, as he looked down at the ground, screwing his eyes shut.

Green Coat tread cautiously.

“Then why terminate our partnership?”

Ice Cream remained frozen to the spot, his brow in a furious knot. Green wanted to say something, anything, but held his tongue. Those blue eyes that awe inspired him slowly connected to his dark chocolate colored ones.

“...because I'm frightened,” Ice Cream croaked.

Green Coat shook his head, trying to understand.

“Frightened?”

Ice Cream nodded, looking distracted.

"What is there to be scared of?" Green Coat asked with pleading eyes.

“I can't be with you...” Ice Cream said, sadness evident in his voice.

Green Coat looked around for any other souls before he leaned in whispering so only the other Assassin could hear.

"Our Creed says nothing on sodomy-"

"That's not what concerns me."

Green Coat blinked. He was sure the reason for Ice Cream being so aloof could be the fact Green Coat was another man. Sure, he had never seen Ice Cream with a woman but that didn't mean anything.

"Then what...?"

Ice Cream blinked furiously, breaking eye contact.

Green Coat tried with all his might to not let go and demand to know what was wrong. He had to be careful and not make the man skittish.  “I know you're hiding something...” Green Coat gently said, slowly approaching. “What that is, I have no idea, and to be honest, it's none of my damn business."

Ice Cream looked up.

“But before, when I told you I was enamored with you," Green Coat said, stepping closer. "It was the truth.”

Ice Cream watched him.

“I did not choose this attraction towards you..." Green Coat continued, stepping closer. "And I cannot tell you how much you occupy my thoughts....and it hurts that I have no control over it.-”

“Would you change it...?”

Green Coat paused. The voice was so quiet that it took him by surprise. Would he want to change his attraction to Ice Cream? To wave a theoretical magic wand and make it evaporate? Even though the longing was tough and his feelings and sleep patterns were all jumbled up, he knew one thing and that was what ever this attraction to Ice Cream was it came from his gut. And his gut was always right.

“No,” Green Coat said honestly. "But if you want me to stay away, I will respect your choice. I promise."

Ice Cream looked away from him, strained. The younger Assassin watching. It was like the light copper headed Assassin was fighting a battle inside his head.

Green Coat waited.

The man began to pant, licking his lips, eyes darting around the floor. Green Coat knew panic when he saw it.

“Please," he soothed, concerned how quickly Ice Cream's face was becoming red with stress. "Just tell me that this attraction to you is one sided and I'll never bother you again-.”

“I can't.”

The green clad man paused. Ice Cream had answered that rather quickly... Something came to the young Assassin, as he watched the man in front of him blinking in anguish. He looked deep into those eyes and saw a second meaning. Green Coat swallowed.

“Can't or won't?”

Ice Cream looked up, a light of understanding coming on behind his eyes as he looked at the other.

“... _can't._ ”

Green Coat stared. Ice Cream was trying to tell him something. Something he couldn't literally say. The twenty-one year old focused all his mental power onto this hidden message, slowly understanding the meaning.

“Then tell me what kind of secret makes it so you can't.”

Ice Cream remained silent, his face still reddening. But Green Coat pushed forwards. The man was trying to tell him something and he was so close in opening up. He knew Ice Cream wasn't an aggressive man, but right now the man was panicking internally. If only Ice Cream could tell him what the problem was, then he could help! He swallowed again seeing Ice Cream shutting his eyes. He had to move quickly.

“What kind of secret is so bad that Axe has to warn me constantly to keep away from you?”

At the mention of the others name, Ice Cream suddenly hardened his face. He stared at the younger Assassin, his eyes like stone. The light behind his eyes faded.

“You are infatuated with me.”

Green Coat frowned. Wait, what? Why did he suddenly change his stance? But as he watched the other man, he could see the shutters closing in Ice Cream's eyes.

“This is not some passing fancy," Green Coat said quickly.

Ice Cream looked at him in anguish, his eyes hard but Green Coat couldn't miss pleading in the other man's voice.

“Green Coat. I am thirty-five years old. You are twenty-one-”

No, no, no, he was losing him!

“Don't-”

“You are," Ice cream said, this time literally moving away from him in steps. "Possessive, impulsive, intense, dare I say it, jealous-”

“Shut up," Green Coat whispered, walking forwards, not letting the man shy away from him. The young Assassin's eyes became wider as all he could hear was Axe's words repeated in Ice Cream's voice.

“And thus this attraction you have towards me is fleeting due to your age.”

“That's not you talking, Ice Cream!”

Ice Cream stopped, breathing angrily.

Green Coat wanted to shout. Wanted to curse. Wanted even to punch the man he saw before him just to shake him out of his backtracking. But not as much as he wanted to sock his ex-mentor. What ever the problem with Ice Cream was, Axe was holding the God damn strings. He felt so helpless. He saw how Ice Cream had momentarily reached out to him, told him that yes, he indeed felt something for the green-clad Assassin by kissing him back but...there was more to the story.

Ice Cream turned away from him.

Green Coat followed.

"Why can't you leave me be?!" the older man shouted, entering into the main building, beginning to climb up the main set of stairs.

"Because I know how well out mentor brain washes those under his charge."

Ice Cream didn't look back as he continued up the stairs.

“And because my gut is telling me that there is nothing on this earth," Green Coat shouted, yanking the green cowl off his head, not giving a shit if there were any other Assassins present in the entrance hall. "...up in heaven," he continued walking to the bottom of the stairs, staring up at the jogging back of Ice Cream as he fled up the large stair case. "...or down in the depth of hell itself that can cure this feeling of adoration I have for you.”

Ice Cream stopped suddenly, mid step up the stair case.

“Nothing?”

Some where in Green Coat's mind an alarm bell sounded loudly. Ice Cream's back was frozen, a hand on the railing which was gripping it so hard his knuckles were going a shocking shade of white. Green Coat's skin began to crawl, a powerful feeling of foreboding washed over him as he mentally checked he was armed. Ice Cream was an Assassin and was, as he could see, armed, just like himself. He didn't know how far he had pushed the man but it was not unheard of for Brothers to attack one another. If this happened then they were either expelled from the Creed or demoted to the rank of Novice. What ever happened next he was going to follow his gut no matter what. It had never lied to him once and with that Green Coat steeled himself with the truth and opened his mouth.

“Nothing.”

Ice Cream didn't move for a long time as Green Coat watched him, trying to detect any subtle body languages that hinted that the man was going to spin around and attack him.

“Then go the Library,” Ice Cream's voice finally called.

Green Coat blinked.

“...the Library?”

“Yes.”

Green Coat's eyes went wide as Ice Cream turned and faced him. Green Coat stepped back, trying to put distance between himself and Ice Cream who was facing him fully now, face of thunder, his body shaking in rage.

“Go into the Library and read The Fountain of Salmacis.”

Green Coat didn't have time to react before he saw the others eyes flash with pure hot anger before the Assassin exploded.

“ _ONLY THEN DO YOU DESERVE TO STAND THERE AND SAY THAT_ **NOTHING** _WILL KEEP YOU AWAY FROM ME!”_

Green Coat stepped back a couple of paces, eyes wide in shock as the other bellowed down at him. He had never seen Ice Cream so aggressive. So shocked was he that all words left the young Assassin as he stared up at the man. He watched the other beginning to blink rapidly, his face paling from crimson red, before Ice Cream turned, slamming his fist down upon the railing with a grunt, and continued up the stairs.

~

Ice Cream wanted him to...read a book?

Green Coat walked into the Library, seeing a couple of other Assassins here and there, reading books and talking softly. He had, after that shouting from Ice Cream come straight here. To the library. If Ice Cream wanted him to read and book then so be it. Shouldn't be difficult, Green Coat mused as he began hunting for the letter "F" in the ales. He wrinkled up his nose as he passed by, the smell of old books hitting his nostrils. Rotting paper was never a nice niff.

“Fountain...Fountain...” he repeated his mantra, as Green Coat scoured the shelves, hand brushing the spines of a couple that looked promising.

An hour passed and he found nothing. He considered asking the other Assassins in the library if they knew a book called The Fountain of Salmacis, but his gut told him not too. Ice Cream had cracked and given him a snippet of information about...well, he wasn't sure. He wanted to say that it had everything to do with why he couldn't tell Green Coat why he was frightened to say he felt something for the twenty-one year old.

Argh, he was so confused. After another hour of searching and his belly aching, he took a break. Green Coat marched out of the library and headed to the mess hall, the book still heavy on his mind. He flicked his eyes around for a light copper haired man but found none, only saw handful of other Assassins eating and chatting loudly. After a quick meal, he headed back to the library. What could this book be about? Well, it could be about a literal fountain, the Assassin thought. But as Green Coat turned a corner he realized he was lost. "Merde..." he mumbled, turning around again. He marched towards a new door and saw the abandoned lion statue on a nearby table. He stopped and looked at it. It seemed like a life time ago he had found that in his bag. Not wanting to leave tasks unfinished, he picked it up. He'd try and find out where it came from after another library search, he mused, absentmindedly rolling the statue over in his palms-

Green Coat froze.

He blinked down at it and then blinked a few more times.

For there, on the underside of the lion's belly was a simple one word engraving.

_Salmacis._

~

Green coat began to breath heavily, eyes wide and un-blinking. He rubbed his thumb over the engraving and then turned the lion over.

He stared into it's hollow eyes.

Green Coat didn't believe in ghosts. He didn't even believe in half the clap-trap about of the Pieces of Eden and their mind bending powers. They were stories made up by past gone Assassins. Most, like Axe, had taken the words of Altair and Ezio to heart, but Green Coat had always been skeptical of such supernatural forces. But as he looked into the face of the snarling marble lion he found his inner foundations shaking. But wait, this wasn't a book? So what that this said "Salmacis"...what did it mean if anything?! Ice Cream told him to read a book called The Fountain of Salmacis and here was a statue with the name carved into it... Green Coat rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. A headache called from the base of his skull. He was so sick and tired of not understanding. What ever this lion had to do with Ice Cream he didn't know. But he sure as hell wasn't letting it out of his sight.

Green Coat pocked the heavy statue into his coat and sprinted back to the library. Once he found this book, maybe this would all make sense- wait...hadn't Ice Cream's room been broken into? He slowed his running to a quick walk, thinking as pieces of the puzzle fell into place. Those stupid Novices...they had broken into Ice cream's room, stolen the statue and exchanged his tools for it. But why? Aside from it being some mean prank, he didn't know. Were they trying to make out he was a thief? Green Coat slowed his walking down the empty corridor as his thoughts continued. Maybe....maybe the Novices had seen him pursuing Ice Cream? Heard his conversations with Axe? Did...did they know he had feelings for the man? Anger shot into his belly and Green Coat snarled. What ever the reason for it, he didn't care. Once he knew about this "Fountain of Salmacis" business, he was going to make damn sure that those Novices never became full Assassins.

He walked to the library and saw it was shut. He looked left and right, realizing that it must be well near midnight from the looks of it, before pulling out a slender pick from his breast pocket. Thanking Ice Cream for the spare, he began to pick the lock. It wasn't long before he heard a satisfying "click" as the contraption opened. He secretly thanked the Mentor for commissioning him to make this lock in the first place. After making sure the coast was clear, the young Assassin snuck back inside. It was dark and the air was thick with that revolting moldy smell of rotting books but Green Coat hardly noticed.

He headed straight for any book that had a lion on it.

~

Green Coat sighed loudly. He'd been here for another hour and still nothing. After taking every book that even hinted at a lion down off of the book shelves, he now had a mountain of them piled on all parts of his table, not to mention around the sides of it. One pile was the lion pile, which he flicked through, only finding icons and symbols of famous Templars who used lions for their emblems. Another pile was everything and anything with the word "fountain" in it. But even after looking through those books he was still no closer to finding out what Ice Cream's secret was. He looked over from his seat at the table, the side of his face resting on his palm. He randomly pulled out a book about a collection of fountains from around the world, but nothing inside mentioned the word "Salmacis". What the hell was that anyway? A place? A name? He plopped the book back down onto the tall pile, absentmindedly, which began to sway. Green Coat was a second too late at saving the tower as the books fell off the table with very loud thumps. He cursed, sliding his chair back and bending down to pick them up. What time was it? He rubbed his eyes. He was failing fast, not remembering the last time he slept. Maybe he would continue his search tomorrow-

THWACK.

Green Coat swore loudly, rubbing the back of his skull, looking at the underside of the table for the piece of offending wood that he had caught his head on when something blue and velvet caught his eye. He blinked and bent down further and saw, peeking out from under the rim of the dark table, a title in white embossed ink.

_The Fountain of Salmacis._

_~_

Green Coat leaned over, his heart in his mouth, twisting awkwardly under the table to grab the harmless looking book from where it had been wedged into the rivets of the table's undersides. He stood back up, brushing the dust off of it as all feelings of fatigue left him.

He smiled triumphantly, until he caught sight of the lion statue on the table. He looked around him, suddenly feeling exposed, before he looked back down at the harmless looking navy book in his hands. It was smaller than he had imagined. Not that he knew what it looked like, but he had wondered if it was a huge book...perhaps a ledger of some sort? He looked cautiously at the front cover. A fountain with two birds swirling around it was embossed in white, with a picture of a man in a pool being embraced by what looked like a woman.

Green Coat looked up at the silent lion statue that was perched under the lamp.

"So where do you fit in?"

The statue stared at him.

Green Coat scoffed. He must be tired, he was talking to a statue. Shaking himself mentally he looked again at the book. He chastised himself for being afraid of a statue. Or a book, as he saw his palms were beginning to sweat. What the hell could be in here that frightened Ice Cream so much? Green Coat sat down at his chair, the light from the covered lamp on the surface illuminating the shadows around him. So many things were swirling around his head, so many ideas of what this “secret” could be. People always kept secrets, he mused, looking at the spine of the book, and then at the back. Secrets were part of human nature. He himself had a few, but nothing that would get him strung up. The thought that Ice Cream had committed heinous crimes had passed through Green Coats mind. Was he a murderer? A rapist? Did he kick puppies? Green Coat scoffed. Ice Cream was the only man he knew who had ran away from them, after one encounter with a particularly enthusiastic ankle-nipping puppy. Obviously Ice Cream had killed people, they were Assassins after all. But they never did so out of pleasure. They never hurt Innocents, as their Creed dictated. It was the nature of the job. For the greater good in the Assassin's never ending battle with the controlling Templars...perhaps Ice Cream had been a Templar? Green Coat hated to think it, but if so, he wasn't the first one to switch sides. So, what could this secret be?

Green Coat turned the book back over and looked at the front cover.

He scoffed at the embossed image. Well, there was his fountain. And it looked like two lovers were indulging their passions in it's waters...or at least, it looked like the woman was. The man in the picture looked horrified.

The twenty-one year old took a deep breath and turned to the first page.

~

Green Coat frowned.

There, in front of him, was a collection of squiggles that he was very familiar with and hated with a passion all at the same time. He cursed, quickly flicking through the pages, but more and more symbols greeted him.

“Latin...” he growled, shutting the book angrily. “I hate Latin.”

He looked over to the innocent looking marble lion on the table.

"I swear," he said, pointing the spine of the book at the marble creature. "If you're a Piece of Eden I'm going to throw you out of that window."

The lion was silent at Green Coat's threat.

Green Coat paused before looking back at the book. Inside was the one thing that terrified Ice Cream. That even Axe knew about, but he would be buggered if the man would ever say what that was.

Which only meant one thing.

Green Coat stood, book in hand and hunted around the library for writing instruments. After a few minutes he managed to gather up a good selection of papers and a dozen pencils before he moved back over to his table. He pulled down a couple of Latin books on the way that he remembered from his childhood would aid him and got to work.

Hours and hours passed by, the man only stopping to re-light the lamp. More hours passed as he felt the fringes of exhaustion creeping in, but still he pushed onwards. Until with a growl, he threw his pencil down after another hour, his head beginning to pound with the concentration. Nothing was making sense! Now he knew why he _really_ hated Latin. Perhaps...wait, perhaps it was something _inside_ the book? Green Coat sat up with renewed vigor, picking at the edges of the covers with his finger nails, brushing his finger tips over the seals but...nothing. Maybe then he was translating it wrong? That was it, he had to have been. So far all he could make out was some bizarre story about a fountain, an almond tree, a volcano, two lovers in a pool, one of which prayed to what ever Gods to never be separated. Talk about a needy lover, Green Coat had scoffed. He knew it was ironic, though.  He could understand how obsessed the woman was with the man, seeing the similarities between himself and Ice Cream, but he would never pray to the Gods to merge their bodies into one form-

Green Coat's eyes unfocused without warning.

He stared at the page, not really seeing it, his mouth suddenly becoming dry.

A thought came to him.

A small, innocent, whisper of an idea that grew and grew in clarity.

An idea that seemed absurd at first...but yet...

Green Coat moved his hands slowly, closing the book, staring at the image on the front cover.

He knew Ice Cream's secret.

~

Ice Cream woke up, sighing, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. He moved slowly, trying to turn over, before jerking up backwards, slamming his spine against the head board as he saw a man sitting at the foot of his bed, looking at a closed book.

“I'm impressed," the intruder said, not looking up. "It took me all of ten minutes to read that,” he lied, throwing the book over to the other, which landed in between Ice Cream's legs.

Ice Cream stared, his messy hair falling around his face in wisps. He cautiously flicked his eyes down to the cover of the book that he knew all too well.

_The Fountain of Salmacis._

“I shall say it again,” the twenty-one year old Assassin said firmly.

Ice Cream very slowly looked up into the inky darkness at where Green Coat's voice was coming from.

“Nothing will keep me away from you.”

Ice Cream stared hard, searching for Green Coat's eyes in the darkness.

“Nothing...?”

Green Coat looked up and locked his eyes to sky blue ones.

“Nothing.”

They were silent, each Assassin unsure and weary of the other. But Green Coat waited. He knew Ice Cream had just told him his secret and he didn't miss the fact that one of Ice Cream's hands was not visible. It was most likely resting on a weapon under his pillow.

Green Coat felt his bones shuddering at the unblinking stare of the Assassin he was attracted too. Even now, in this tense atmosphere, he couldn't help but marvel at how the others body struck a cord with his own.

“Come here...” Ice Cream said, his voice ever so croaky.

Green Coat paused, unsure. The man was glaring at him, even bare chested in the moon light, reflecting all the taut muscles around his shoulders and chest reminded him the man was an Assassin. And at this very moment he was more dangerous to Green Coat than he had ever been. Of course if he was to attack, Green Coat was also an Assassin. One who had been born into the Creed and theoretically had more of an advantage. Green Coat hesitated. He could leave. Leave and never speak to Ice Cream again. The secret would come with him. But...would the man even let him leave the room? From the way he was looking at him with that intense look, probably not. But then, was it true? Did his feelings change now that he knew about Ice Cream's unique biology? He continued to look at the Assassin and realized that he knew all along what the answer would be. He had already given up his trust to the man, his soul, his mind, that to give him his body was an honor.

Green Coat leaned slowly up, as commanded, and both Assassins eyes met for the briefest of moments, before Ice Cream grabbed him painfully by the collar and yanked him up to his messy copper hair framed face. Green Coat didn't try to protest as his body was dragged across the bed, his spine bending awkwardly downwards.

“Say that again...” Ice Cream growled.

Green Coat made his peace with God and dived into the abyss.

_“Nothing.”_

_~_


	11. (E)The Secret of Nothing. Part Two.

**WARNING: The following chapter contains intense and explicit sexual content throughout.**

~

Arno made his way up the tavern's rickety staircase, swaying with every step. His vision was becoming blurry the further he progressed. What the hell was in those drinks? What ever it was; Mirabeau had some seriously strong moonshine going on, Arno's brain concluded as he reached the leveled out upper floors. The anger and confidence that the drink had planted into his head swirled around his mind, locking his eyes onto the shut door where that Green bastard was sleeping. Arno growled. He shouldn't have mentioned anything to Ice Cream. The man just gave him some cryptic _"it's not you he's concerned about"_ and to top it off, didn't even drink the bottle he gave him. Well whatever, he was going to find out right now what the hell was going on-

"Woah, not tonight, lad."

Arno stopped, squinting. He looked down at his right arm with a scowl and saw there was a large hand on his upper arm stopping him...that voice...he knew who that was? He looked up and saw Axe. A very blurry Axe. Arno tried to blink the man back into focus.

"You're sharing with me tonight," the bearded Assassin said, guiding the younger man away from the oaken colored door. Arno reluctantly and rather clumsily followed, as he finally stepped into some other room which must be Axe and Ice Cream's room, he thought. As he entered, Arno saw a neat looking bed to his left and off to the right was a bed that looked like it had just been ransacked. He headed for the more orderly looking one, letting his body go lax as he plopped himself face-down onto the sheets. He breathed in and instantly regretted it, as he began to gag on a cloud of Vanilla. Why the hell did that man smell of this stuff anyway?

"...wot, 'bout Ice?" he mumbled into the sheets.

"He won't mind," Axe said somewhere off to his right, before the man walked over to him with a wooden bucket. “And don't stay face down, son. If ya vomit, you'll choke on it."

At the mention of the "v" word, Arno paused, trying to will his stomach calm as it did a double flip at the mental image. Then a triple flip. It was just in time that the older man grabbed him by the arm, yanking him clear of the bed as Arno suddenly emptied the contents of his stomach into the wooden bucket with a slosh. Axe gently and awkwardly slapped the boy on the back a couple of times, pulling a face.

"Come on, son. Let's get ya cleaned up," Axe said as Arno groaned loudly.

~

Green Coat, in the room opposite, strained with all his might to open his eyes as memories continued to drag him down into the depths of his own mind. He didn't want to see them. Didn't want to experience those visions again. It was too much. But as he coughed he suddenly felt warm and oh so safe. He tried turning his head but slowly realized that he couldn't move; the right side of his face was pressing against something hard yet soft. He coughed violently into the warm darkness of Vanilla as something soft brushed hair from his face. He felt his eyelids fluttering as light filtered into them before he was suddenly sucked back down into the depths of unconsciousness.

~

The two Assassins stared at each other, almost nose to nose, their gazes intense in the near pitch darkness of Ice Cream's bedroom.

"You asked if your attraction to me was one sided..." Ice Cream said, not letting go of the scruff of the green colored jacket in his fist, his breath ghosting across the twenty-one year old's face.

Green Coat's gaze never faltered as he stared straight into the face of the copper haired Assassin.

"I hope this answers your question," Ice Cream growled and captured the others lips with his own in a fierce kiss.

Green Coat kissed back like his life depended on it, quickly taking over and pushing the man back down onto the bed, hands grabbing at what ever they could. Green Coat felt the body under him yearning for his touch as he let the lust take over, his instincts riding every movement. He could feel the Assassin under him panting, spreading his legs, turning his head with a moan as Green Coat ground against him. The younger man pushed himself up from the bed, feeling his left knee pressing on the bed against something that was hard and square. Both Assassins came up for air as they held each others faces. They locked eyes and Green Coat swallowed with sheer joy. Ice Cream felt the same way! His own attraction wasn't one sided! He felt like his heart was going to burst with happiness when he felt something again poking him hard in the knee.  Somewhere in his mind he tried to figure out what the object was, before he looked behind him seeing the image of the two lovers in the pool from the book cover staring up at him, a corner of the book stabbing into his leg. Green Coat forced himself to stop, to slow down as the realization of this evening came to the front of his mind. The power and strength of want that filled Ice Cream right now was surprising yet very welcomed and Green Coat was all to willing to let himself be swept up into it's torrents. But he had to calm down. He needed to take it slow for Ice Cream's sake.

Ice Cream was silent, breathing hard as he looked up at Green Coat who sat back on his heels, looking down at the gorgeous man below him. Ice Cream was there on display for him. Somewhere in his mind, Green took stock of the fact the Assassin slept shirtless. He saw the copper haired assassin swallow looking up with eyes full of want and longing. But something flickered in the back of those blue water like eyes. The twenty one year old gazed as he saw it. It was fear. It was slight, but it was there. Ice Cream was giving him permission to touch him but yet...he was still frightened. Unsure and nervous. The Emerald Assassin would have said out loud that Ice Cream had nothing to be afraid of. It was true, nothing was going to deter him from his attraction to the Lock Picker. Green Coat cast his eyes around the body below him and gazed in wonder. He knew Ice Cream trained regularly, they all did, to keep up their fitness and strength. But even so, Green Coat couldn't stop staring at how Ice Cream's chest muscles were formed to perfection.  He remembered once accidentally seeing Ice Cream from across the training court yard taking off his shirt to train. The younger Assassin had made very good use of that memory during long nights alone. But now he didn't have to use a memory. Ice Cream was right here. Right now, here, under him. Giving him every indication that he was receptive to Green Coat's attraction.

Green Coat reached out, breathing deeply and touched a toned chest muscle, feeling Ice Cream flinch slightly before relaxing. He splayed his palm out across the Lock Picker's abs, the touch sending pleasure raking through both of their bodies. The Assassin was so warm! He continued his exploration, brushing his finger tips down Ice Cream's sides as the copper haired man's breathing hitched with every movement. Green Coat would never believe that Ice Cream held such a secret with a body like his. His hands moved down to a strong and slightly soft stomach, feeling in the near darkness all the bumps and rivers of the others skin. Ice Cream closed his eyes, whimpering slightly at the touch. Green Coat continued his trail, touching and mapping out each muscle in the semi darkness before he looked down and saw the other wearing his sleeping trousers. Curiosity seized him and he tugged at the man's draw strings-

Suddenly he felt a strong hand grab his wrist in a vice, halting his movements.

“It's one thing to read a book...,” Ice Cream said, swallowing.

Green Coat looked up in the darkness. Ice Cream's eyes were visible in the light filtering in through the window...and he was still scared. Still nervous of Green Coat's reaction. He didn't have to be, Green Coat would have scoffed. There was nothing that would break this attraction to the taller Assassin, even after knowing why he had to read The Fountain of Salmacis. Green Coat had gone over and over the revelation in his head as he had, book by book, slowly replaced them to their respective shelves. It gave him time to think. Time to process. Before he finished, re-locked the library door and walked to Ice Cream's room, eyes glazed over. So many thoughts and feelings had gone around in his head, but in the end it was Ice Cream who he was attracted to. The intelligent, caring and strong person he saw before him.

His gender made no difference.

Green Coat felt that sharp stab of the corner of the book again and closed his eyes. Or did it? Green Coat had never seen another quite like Ice Cream. Indeed it was one thing to read a book but, to see evidence that people like him existed in the world? Green Coat had never considered himself sexually attracted to anyone. Not to men or women. He just wasn't interested in such things. But that was until he pointed a gun straight into the face of the semi naked Lock Picker below him just over a year ago. He still remembered thinking how incredible the man was after his humbling. How Ice Cream had broken into his room and thrown his own broken lock contraption down onto his bed. Come what may, Green Coat was enraptured and nothing was going to change that.

Ice Cream closed his eyes as he slowly let go of the wrist he had captured before Green Coat gently pulled the draw string loose.

“Oh my God...”, Green Coat breathed making Ice Cream look away.

There was silence.

The Lock Picker blinked in the darkness and reached over to cover himself. It had been a mistake, a stupid, idiotic mistake to let Green Coat know-

Ice Cream's body was no longer under his command as he gasped loudly, loosing himself, feeling Green Coat slipping his fingers down in between his thighs, fingers brushing, exploring, penetrating. Ice Cream's nerve endings fired up relentlessly in preparation as he felt his body responding strongly, gripping the sheets with his fists as he felt Green Coat's digits probing.

"...you're...you're..." Green Coat breathed in wonder, swallowing hard, withdrawing his hand from Ice Cream's crotch and looking at the clear and moist evidence on his fingers in the moon light, before he looked down at the Assassin with wide eyes.

Green Coat locked eyes with Ice Cream.

How far was the Assassin willing to let him go?

Something deep and unspoken shot between the Lock Picker and the Lock Smith's eyes for a fraction of a second before Green Coat's mind got the message loud and clear. He suddenly bent down and slammed his lips to the others, who moaned into the frantic and bruising kiss, pushing his body up to meet Green Coat's. Ice Cream felt insistent and trapped hardness grinding against his inner thigh, until he reached up and tugged at the man's brown trousers urgently, moaning with want. Green Coat didn't need telling twice as he quickly let himself free, pulling Ice Cream's hips up to meet his own.

“Oh gods, oh...oh, gods...!” Green Coat breathed as he felt himself enter.

Ice Cream gritted his teeth as pain shot through his body, mingled with untold pleasure. He arched his body as Green Coat penetrated with a few testing thrusts making sure Ice Cream's body was fully ready before he completely sheathed himself inside the Lock Picker. Green Coat withdrew himself partly before slamming back into the Assassin. He continued to bury himself again and again, over and over into the Assassin with frantic grunts as Ice Cream cried out each time. Each enthralled in ecstasy as their heated actions warmed the air around them, voices of straining and painful want echoing off of the walls and furniture into the darkness. Green Coat felt Ice Cream's arms come up and wrap themselves around his neck, as he shut his eyes, straining with every thrust, the metallic sounds of his heavy coat belts hitting into the mattress and Ice Cream's naked body with each jerk of his hips. He could hear Ice Cream's cries next to his neck which made him drive faster and harder into him. Both Assassins let their bodies succumb to each other before Ice Cream suddenly gasped, his body beginning to shake in orgasm as he cried out the Lock Smith's name and Green Coat's own vision went white.

Green Coat climaxed with a shout, the force of his orgasm making him nearly pass out. He fought against it, as he rode it out but found his body suddenly going lax, as finally he gave in and collapsed onto the other Assassin, gasping for air. Ice Cream wrapped his arms around the green glad man, bodies shaking from post orgasm. Both closed their eyes in the pitch black room, exhausted, vulnerable and safe with each other.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry.." Ice Cream breathed with raw vocal cords as Green Coat fell into darkness wondering why Ice Cream was apologizing.

Hours later the sun began to warm the room.

Green Coat slowly opened up his eyes, feeling the golden beams warming his face, the scent of Vanilla making him feel at utter peace. He opened his eyes further and looked at the unfamiliar room. For a moment he didn't know where he was, before he looked down and saw Ice Cream nestled up next to him.

Green Coat stared.

Ice Cream was in bed with him.

Ice Cream.

The Lock Picker.

The man who fascinated him and inspired him was here, lying next to him.

Green Coat felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest as he watched the other sleeping peacefully against his chest, a long piece of copper hair falling over his face. Green Coat couldn't get over how natural it felt to have Ice Cream next to him. Like he belonged there. He continued to smile tenderly as he realized his green coat was covering both their naked bodies. He looked up again, marveling. He slowly reached a hand out, until he stopped, hesitating. He didn't want to wake the man up. If he did...what would happen? Would...would Ice Cream flinch? Pull away and tell Green Coat to get out of his bed? Or would he smile and cuddle closer?

Only one way to find out...

Green Coat leaned over and ever so softly brushed that piece of stray copper hair from his face to behind the man's ear, before he pressed his lips to the others temple. The Assassin next to him stirred, smiling in bliss, before he opened up his blue eyes. Green Coat looked at them. He could lose himself for hours in those intense sapphire-like eyes. Neither said a word as their lips met again, slow and tender. Green Coat could feel the lust building inside of him as they slowly touched and nuzzled each other, the want to be inside the Assassin again beginning to take over his thinking. Green Coat moved his body over the others, slowly kissing a strong back and sensitive neck as he planted butterfly kisses up and down the man's spine. Ice Cream sighed happily, face blossoming into pink. Soon Green Coat found himself gently lifting up the Assassin's hips, lining himself up again while sensually running his finger tips under Ice Cream's chest down to his stomach, and lower abdomen, feeling faint lightning shaped marks here and there. It wasn't long before he was in position and was entering the Lock Pick Assassin again, grabbing at strong and curved hips, thanking the Gods as Ice Cream moaned and cried out into the pillows. If he was to die right here, right now, it would be in the arms of the man he loved.

Nothing, indeed, could keep him away.

It was a little while later that Green Coat woke again to the smell of heaven. He smiled, burying his nose into the soft feather downed pillows, turning over in bed. Green Coat reached out under the sheets and found a dip in the mattress. He opened up his eyes and saw the bed was empty. He frowned slightly, looking around the room for the other Assassin.

"...Ice Cream?" he called softly.

Nothing.

 Green Coat very slowly sat up in bed, the smell of Vanilla still wrapping around him like a warm blanket. He looked down and saw his own green jacket covering him over the sheets. Green Coat closed his eyes and fell back into bed breathing deeply. A wave of unbridled euphoria cascaded over him followed by a gut wrenching feeling of foreboding. He looked around the room, now that he could see it fully in the midday sun. Ice Cream's room was large, and the four poster bed he was currently in was just as spacious. He reached out and brushed his fingers against one tied up curtain in the corner nearest him. He felt the texture of material brush over his finger tips as his mind wondered around the room. There were trinkets here and there. A lamp, a table, chair and large case off to the side with a handsome collection of books stack up next to it. In fact, there seemed to be a lot of books here. He looked to his left and saw a collection on the bedside table and picked one up, reading the title.

"A Guide to Ancient Roman Temples," he said, before he smiled and put it back with it's brothers. Seemed Ice Cream was a history book enthusiast as well as a Lock Picker. Green Coat saw The Fountain of Salmacis book lying on the floor where it must have fallen off the bed during their passions-

Green Coat blinked as he saw his own discarded trousers and boots neatly folded up onto the side cabinet. He blinked once again as he looked at the light cascading into the room. What time was it? Shit, it was near midday, he was meant to report into Axe! Green Coat very reluctantly pushed the covers off of him and threw his clothes back on before running to the door, picking up the small blue book, but before he exited he paused. He looked at the room where he had spent the night with Ice Cream. It was surreal to think what had happened. He had to find the Assassin, he thought fiercely, as he stuffed the revealing book into a pocket, shut the door and ran down the corridor to the sparing ring.

 "What time do you call this?," Axe said as he looked up from where he was sitting by the training arena as Green Coat jogged up to him, trying to catch his breath back.

"I had another matter that needed my attention," Green Coat said, trying not to mumble, as the images and sounds of Ice Cream screaming in pleasure began echoing around his head, threatening to make him hard again.

Axe grunted before he nodded to the Assassin to began his weekly report.

When Green Coat had finished, while trying to ignore the flash backs of last night, Green Coat waited for the man's response, looking back at the Novices in the yard dueling. If he could hurry then he could try and find Ice Cream-

"Good, good. Glad to hear your inventions are coming along," the bearded Assassin said, nodding, still looking out into the court yard of yet-to-be-Assassins.

Green Coat smiled and made to leave before Axe spoke again.

"Now, care to explain why you stink of Vanilla?"

Green Coat blinked.

Axe stared at him from under his heavy set eyebrows.

Green Coat opened up his mouth, licking his lips, faulting under that intense and dangerous look.

"I don't know what happened last night to my student, Green Coat," Axe growled before he stood up, turning his whole body and full attention on Green Coat, looming over him, as the younger man stepped back. "But you'd better hope for your own safety its not what I'm thinkin' of, _boy."_

Green Coat swallowed with difficulty as his mouth went dry, as his ex-mentor's bulk towered over him. He had forgotten just how tall and massive Axe was and in that moment it felt like he was confronting a very angry bear. The twenty-one year old nodded slightly, mumbling a parting gesture, backing away as Axe continued to watch his retreating back with those eyes that bore into his soul.

Green Coat walked quickly out of the training area, breathing fast. Shit, what had happened?! Had Ice Cream said something to Axe? So what if he did, the Lock Smith's mind angrily shouted. He was twenty-one, an adult, an Assassin. What did it matter to Axe who he sleeps with? Unless...wait maybe that's where Ice Cream was this morning when he woke up? Reporting to Axe? Had something happened? Was Ice Cream upset? Happy? Something must have tipped off the larger Assassin to what happened last night...or maybe Ice Cream said nothing and he really did stink of Vanilla. He was so accustomed to the scent now that he couldn't actively smell it anymore on himself.

Green Coat's own mind began to replay the night's events again as he walked down the many corridors of the Parisian HQ. It had been a very, very revealing night. Not only had he found out Ice Cream's secret but had given himself up to the man, both consummating their powerful pull to one another. It had been mind-blowing. But now that Green Coat had gotten much more than what he wanted, what now? The Lock Smith didn't realize how mentally unprepared he was until he saw Ice Cream.

Green Coat froze, his stomach flipped as he found the man he had just slept with. Ice Cream was sitting, alone, on a collection of stone slabs near the outer stables. The Lock Smith stopped, putting his hands into the pockets of his coat, hunching himself over slightly. He worried his brow, feeling his shoulder length black hair gently swaying against his stubble peppered cheeks in the light breeze as he watched the Lock Picker sitting there. Their relationship had changed forever. He had been happy upon waking to find the Assassin snuggled up next to him, much happier than he had ever been in a long time. But Ice Cream...Ice Cream looked deeply troubled. He was staring off into the distance, chewing on the end of what looked like a piece of bark or root. His sky blue eyes deep in thought with his long coat wrapped tightly around himself and wavy hair falling about his face.

Green Coat lifted up his boot to walk over to him but stopped, putting his heel back down onto the stone walk way. What was he meant to say? How was he meant to react now? To say last night was amazing and if he was free, mind doing it again every night? Green Coat wasn't a virgin. He had slept with one other in his life time, but that had just been a passing folly of his late teenage years. He tried to ignore how drink had applied to ridding him of his virginity.  _"La Fée Verte"_ that woman had called the green drink she had presented to him, aka The Green Fairy of Absinthe. It was only after he had stupidly drank some did he realize it was a powerful hallucinogenic. Indeed, he thought it was odd when he started seeing her as a green fairy when she threw herself at him, with things dancing around his vision that to this day he couldn't describe. Gold and yellow shapes of geometric design. It annoyed him to think he lost his first time experience in such a foolish manner. But even more annoying was the woman to whom he had lost it too. Who soon after taking his virginity had gone on to take four others. He had deeply regretted it, vowing never to touch drink again and he had been celibate ever since.

Until last night.

“Hello Ice Cream.”

The man jerked back startled.

“Oh...hello Green Coat,” Ice Cream said, before he relaxed, pressing his back against the stable outer stone wall once more.

The two men remained in silence, the only sound being a few nickering horses in their paddocks nearby.

Green Coat bit his lip, before opening his mouth and closing it again. He had no idea what to say to Ice Cream. The fact that the Assassin had let Green Coat fuck him was heavy in the air that both knew but didn't want to bring up.

Neither said anything as the silence intensified.

“...Thank you...” Green Coat said, for he couldn't think of anything else to say.

Ice Cream looked at him for the briefest of moments before he returned to his sombre thinking.

“...you're welcome...," the copper haired man mumbled, still chewing.

They were painfully silent again.

Green Coat looked around him, trying to think what to say. He had never had a relationship before and was so lost for what to do next he couldn't do anything except stand there like an idiot. Did he want a relationship with the man? Yes, but how to go about it was beyond his comprehension. If they had just slept together for sex only then at least they both would know where the other stood the morning after. But Green Coat would never have agreed to that. He knew that sleeping with Ice Cream made him want to be by the man's side even more. Wanted to not only share his body with the other, but to continue with their inventing of new locks and contraptions, working together, fighting together and laughing together. Unless...did Ice Cream see last night as just a sexual folly?

Green Coat's stomach began to drop in horror.

“Do you want something?” Ice Cream said, after a long while, looking up at him, continuing to chew on the root.

Green Coat's mind went blank. The question wasn't harsh, it was friendly, if sad sounding. Did he want something? Yes, he damn well wanted something! He wanted to say last night was beyond anything he could ever dream of. That he was beyond grateful for the man to allow him to sleep with him, allowing him into his secret. He wanted to say he never wanted to leave the Assassin, wanted to sleep next to him every night, wanted to wake up nestled next to him, to hold him, to protect him, to make sure that Ice Cream was never sad or scared. He wanted...he wanted...to say he was in love with him.

But...Ice Cream looked so miserable.

Green Coat's dark brown eyes went to the root.

“What is that?”

Ice Cream paused briefly, flicking his blue eyes up to the Assassin, mid chew, before he responded. "Just a root...” he said, shaking his head slightly.

The Lock Smith felt his stomach clench as he saw Ice Cream shift on his seat, wincing slightly.

Green Coat cursed under his breath.

“...I was too rough-”

“You weren't.”

They fell silent.

Green Coat watched as Ice Cream picked at the buttons on his coat.

Green Coat cursed again internally. He had come on too strong. The man had told him his secret and how had he reacted? By fucking him. Not once, but twice. Axe was right, he was too intense for Ice Cream. When they were in the workshop, he had kissed the Assassin because he had lost control of his body. Then when he found out about Ice Cream's body he had succumbed to his intense base desires. So intense that he feared he would break what ever they had. He had scared Ice Cream with his reaction. Maybe...maybe he was...oh God, had he taken Ice Cream's virginity?!

He had to avoid the man.

Had to let him recover.

Because Green Coat knew if he let himself succumb to all of his feelings he would only break the Lock Pick Assassin.

Green Coat looked at the man again from under his long jet black hair. He wanted to reach out and comfort him, but he knew the man would probably only shy away. His mind went to Ice Cream's secret. It made no difference to him. It was ridiculous to think that Ice Cream thought Green Coat would find it offensive. What, did he expect him to curl away? To be repulsed by his body? But as he looked at the man again, he realized that was exactly what Ice Cream had been frightened of all along.

Green Coat swallowed and pulled the small dark blue and velvet book from inside his jacket, looking at the lovers on the front cover.

“For what it's worth...” he said, placing the book down onto a stacked group of stone slabs near Ice Cream before straightening his coat. “I think you no less of a man,” Green Coat nodded and left, not realizing blue eyes full of painful want and longing followed him up the pathway.

~

There was a soft knock on the door, making the copper haired Assassin crane his neck up from where he was lying down on the sheets.

"Come in," Ice Cream called softly.

The door opened and a tall and bearded Assassin leaned into the room.

"How is he?"

"He's delirious, but the fever is breaking."

Axe nodded, not taking his hand off of the door knob. The tavern was quiet now, but booming thunder could be heard in the distance.

"...has he coughed blood?"

Ice Cream shook his light copper head.

"Good," Axe said with a heavy sigh.

"What do you think it could be?" Ice Cream asked.

"Buggered if I know," Axe half scoffed, scratching the back of his head. "But at least it ain't looking like Consumption, thank God."

"Pneumonia?" Ice Cream asked, furring his brow in worry.

"Perhaps," Axe shrugged, scratching his beard, deep lines of concern etched across his forehead. "Gab' said there was somit' going around..."

The two Assassins were silent, Green Coat's feverish mumbling against the strong chest of Ice Cream was the only sound to their ears along side the approaching storm before Axe spoke again.

"Arno's in the other room," he said nodding to somewhere down the candle lit hallway. “He'll stay with me for the rest of the night.”

Ice Cream nodded.

The two Assassins were silent again until Ice Cream swallowed and spoke.

"Axe, I know what this looks like-"

"Don't," the bearded Assassin said sternly, holding up a hand. "I've known for a long time about...," he said smiling, gesturing between the two men. "There ain't much that gets past me."

Ice Cream smiled before the young man in his arms coughed again, the sound wet and heavy. The taller white shirted Assassin looked down and gently rubbed Green Coat's back, waiting for the fit to subside. When it did, Ice Cream looked up with pained eyes at their leader in the doorway from his position on the bed, candle light throwing shadows dancing across the walls.

“I can't leave him, Axe. Not when he's like this...”

“I won't order you away, if that's what ya' worried about.”

Ice Cream nodded in acknowledgement as Green Coat, once again, began to whine, the fever taking over.

"I've sent for the doctor," Axe said. "But for now, stay with him 'n shout if he gets any worse," the larger man said before he exited.

Ice Cream watched the wooden door slowly shut. He looked back down at the Assassin in his arms, eyes full of concern. He reached over into a porcelain bowl, that was resting on a nearby table, gripped the ball of material inside, forcing the excess liquid out before he exchanged the cloth with the warm one that was currently on Green Coat's forehead. The Assassin gently held his sick Lock Smith to him as the man coughed and continued to mumbled incoherently. Looked like what ever Green Coat was seeing it was doing a number on him. Ice Cream tenderly brushed a few sweat drenched pieces of jet black hair from his lover's face before he pressed his lips to the top of Green Coat's head. He breathed in the musky and earthly scent that was his Lock Smith, praying that nothing would stop the doctor from arriving before the storm did.

~


	12. (E)The Secret of Nothing. Part Three.

**WARNING: The following chapter contains intense and explicit sexual content.**

~

Green Coat jerked awake, his forehead dripping with sweat, feeling the back of his neck hot and damp as a continuously thumping sound assaulted his ears. He swallowed, making a face, as he tasted something horribly bitter in his mouth. That was before his chest constricted painfully and he doubled over with violent coughs. When they had finally subsided he checked his hand for blood.

Nothing.

He breathed a sigh of relief. Getting Consumption was something he did _not_ want. Green Coat moved slightly before stopping, feeling his white shirt and lose brown trousers damp with fever induced sweat. The smell of Vanilla hit his nostrils and he instinctively looked around for his lover.

Nothing.

The young Assassin sighed, as he looked back down at his pillow, scolding himself. His memories had been so vivid he could physically smell the scent of Ice Cream as if the man had been here. Twas probably the Vanilla extract he had poured onto his pillow, even if the entire bed was covered in that heavenly scent. Green Coat looked behind him at the window as the thudding sound became louder, squinting out into the street and saw hail stones cascading down, pounding onto the roof tops and into the streets in white sheets.

Suddenly the door opened and Arno walked in, looking in somewhat pain, holding a plate.

"Morning..." Arno said with a grunt as he shoved the door shut with a foot.

Green Coat nodded, knowing a hangover when he saw one. He scowled. God, didn't the man do anything _but_ drink?

"Here," Arno said, putting the silver plate onto Green Coat's table along with a mug and jug of water. Green Coat stared up at him through heavy post-fever eyelids as the other man walked over to his own bed and plopped down onto it.

Green Coat stared at the food near him on the table before narrowing his eyes. Arno could shove it. He didn't need charity- his mouth began to salivate at the smell of the cooked meat as his stomach rumbled loudly.

Arno didn't open his eyes as he heard the metal plate being pulled across the table.

~

Arno woke sometime later to see Green Coat finishing up his meal. He looked over and saw not only that the hail storm from last night was still very much present, but that the man across from him looked like he had been dragged through hell and back. He had heard from Axe this morning that Green Coat was sick with fever so had initially kept his distance. But after hearing that a doctor had been called and hearing Ice Cream mention medicine, he looked a lot better. His skin even looked more flushed and healthy than it did when he entered the room earlier. Somewhere deep inside himself a small vindictive voice called to Arno, telling him that he could theoretically ask Green Coat anything right now. He was weak from sickness and was unlikely to threaten anything like fisticuffs. He had seen the way Ice Cream had been. Something was going on between them. Were they in a relationship? Arno cursed himself for what he was about to do, but realized he wasn't going to get another chance like this.

"So how did you meet Ice Cream?"

Arno saw the man pause, looking up, watching the gears working in the man's head. Arno looked over from his own bed, arms resting behind his head on the head board. It wasn't a demanding question. He had phrased it in such a way as to sound offhanded and friendly. But still, he didn't back down under Green Coat's intense stare.

“Through Axe,” Green Coat croaked, voice horse, as he took another bite of his meal, hunched over on the side of the bed, elbows resting on his knees.

Silence.

Hmm, seemed that the plan was working. Time to push a little further, Arno concluded.

“How long go was that?”

“Before you showed up,” Green Coat mumbled, chewing slowly, shooting a look at Arno before looking back down at his meal.

More silence.

“And you've both traveled together as Assassins?” the ex-templar asked, letting his voice convey pure curiosity.

Green Coat grunted a "yes", swallowing, keeping his eyes to his plate as Arno pushed the envelope further.

"Do you two always share a room?"

The two stared at each other from across the space.

“Arno, do me a favor...” Green Coat said, looking down as he pushed his now empty plate across the table.

Arno raised an eyebrow as the man picked up a mug of water.

“Never speak to me about Ice Cream again," Green Coat said bringing the mug to his cracked lips. "Or I'll fucking kill you.”

Well, there went any bridges the two had formed, Arno thought. He looked into the sick Assassin's eyes, and didn't miss the intense threat as the man gulped down water. He meant it. His and Ice Cream's hinted at relationship was not up for discussion. Arno nodded, keeping hold of an inner smirk. It was a dangerous game he was playing, taunting Green Coat with the thought he knew Ice Cream was his lover. But where they? From the sounds of it, it was looking more plausible.

~

The month wore on.

Arno was beginning to feel like he could handle Green Coat's attitude towards himself. But then on other days he was ready to literally explode. Missions had begun again, although only concerning himself, Axe and Green Coat. Ice Cream was recently absent for a number of them for some reason or another. But he had to agree, the trio's shared intelligence gathering missions together went off without much hostility. Indeed, it was the times when they were not on missions that were bothering him. Arno noticed Ice Cream wasn't limping as much as he did back at the old make-shift HQ. And he didn't look as pale as three weeks ago. But recently he was looking drained again. Axe had told him that the man had spent the last couple of days lying on his bed, sleeping. Every now and again he saw the lithe Assassin walk to the toilet, or eat with them on occasion. Axe was currently obsessed with buying liver, telling them it was to keep their strength up. He noticed Ice Cream had more on his plate, but didn't question it. Yesterday their leader had ordered the tanned coated Assassin to rest again. Had he come down with the same sickness as Green Coat? But Ice Cream wasn't coughing, Arno noticed. He wasn't thinking much of it, until he was passing the Assassin a day ago and saw him storming out of a storage room where he had seen Green Coat enter a few moments before hand. When the taller Assassin came out rather quickly, Arno had seen a small patch of blood on his leg. Arno stopped as he watched the man walk out of the tavern, slamming the door open with a heavy hand and disappearing into the busy street.

Something at the back of his mind began to connect with a thought at the front. A horrible, unthinkable, thought that he pushed out of his mind, but kept stubbornly returning. His stomach turned to ice. Ice Cream was only ever looking pale when he was with Green Coat for an extended period of time. Granted the two had not been working together or sharing a room this past month since the roof top incident, but the one time he saw them near each other, there was blood.

Arno continued to attack the straw training man in the back yard, grunting with the effort, his mind still revising what he had seen of Green Coat. Like a constant shadow, he was always following Ice Cream around. Like some angry gander trying to protect his goose from rivals, hissing at anyone who came near.

But take that man away and the tall Assassin looked healthy.

Arno stopped his training in the back yard of the tavern. He had landed a few good punched onto a make-shift straw mannequin, but he was too distracted to properly train anymore.

The cry he had heard, back at the old HQ...what if Ice Cream never stubbed his toe? He had heard the man cry out a few more times back at the old apartment, before it was blown up, and once in the Tavern late at night when they first arrived. There were no lose floorboards that would warrant injury here that he could think of. So why was the man shouting like he was in pain? There was only one other explanation to the others limping and this made Arno shudder to his core. Arno swallowed. Green Coat must be beating Ice Cream. It seemed so far-fetched but...Arno's eyes went wide staring at the mannequin. "The Jitters". Shite, why didn't he realize it before!?

_It happens to those at your age._

Axe's voice reverberated around his head. It made sense, seeing as Green Coat was the same age as him and if he was feeling as equally jittery and power driven after the storming of the Bastille then...Arno looked down at his hands. He was feeling high from the training and normally would have sat a while to calm himself down but he had to do something. For Green Coat wasn't fawning over Ice Cream. He was controlling him. Taking out his aggression on the other.

_You think you can just touch other people's things?_

Green Coat's voice snarled into his mind. And Ice Cream...he must be scared of him. Arno felt his blood boiling. He picked up his Assassin blue coat, quickly putting it back on and walked fast into the tavern's kitchen entrance. He had to tell Axe. Now.

Arno looked around but didn't find anyone, except a surprised looking François cleaning the main floor with a dirty looking mop. Upon asking where the other twenty-one year old Assassin was, the teen had pointed upstairs and Arno jogged up the stairs with a passing thanks. Green Coat was in their room tinkering on his weapons, apparently. Arno stormed across the corridor of the first floor and burst into their shared room, slamming the door shut behind him, feeling the hackles on his neck rise. What had Ice Cream ever done to him to warrant such abuse?! And to think that he thought they were lovers. Pff, how wrong he had been. But something didn't make sense as he locked eyes with a slightly startled Green Coat, who was sitting at his small working desk, unscrewing a flint lock pistol. Why would he beat Ice Cream up? Why would the Lock Picker put up with such abuse? He was an Assassin, they could all take care of themselves. Arno didn't miss how Green Coat was looking at him; confused and slightly annoyed. The sickness that he had come down with had cleared up a few weeks back and so the Lock Smith was now throwing himself back into his work, making up for lost time it seemed.

Arno looked around the room, breathing heavily. He felt on edge, from this thought revelation or from the past half hour of intense training, he didn't know. The ex-templar narrowed his eyes. He could confront him now. No one was around. Well, except François downstairs but he seemed like the type not to get involved with personal grievances of Assassins.

The two men regarded each other.

“...oui?” Green Coat asked, looking slightly concerned.

Arno took a step towards the man, anger from the beating he gave the straw man out back fueling his-

“Arno? Green?”

There was as small knock and both men paused. Arno turned back, forcing his mind to cool and opened up the door to see Ice Cream standing there.

“Good afternoon Arno, is Green Coat in there with you-?”

No sooner had the Assassin said his name then the black haired man was by Arno's side.

“Hello, Ice Cream...,” he said, almost breathlessly.

The two Assassins looked at each other as Arno flicked his eyes between them. His new theory that Green Coat was abusing the other Assassin began to develop holes. Ice Cream looked pleased to see the Lock Smith. Were...shit, were they really lovers?

“I need someone to help me with this lock. I've not seen this type before..." the copper haired Assassin said, not taking his eyes off of the dark haired man. "...If you're not busy?”

Green Coat opened up his mouth, but then stopped himself. He blinked and looked over at Arno. Axe's rule about the two of them having to ask the other for permission to leave the room had been mutually thrown to the wind where Arno and Green were concerned. Neither of them had any patience or humility to ask the other permission to go to the bathroom, the kitchen or at any other time. But now with Ice Cream here, that rule had come back at full force.

Green Coat closed his eyes and willed his strength to over-power his enormous pride.

“ _May_ I?”

Arno looked at the man careful. Every fiber of his being was telling him to say a great big fat "No." But his gut told him to say "Yes". It went against this new potent theory surrounding the two other Assassins and Arno paused. If Green Coat was beating up Ice Cream then surely Axe would have spotted something? But then, if not, then where did that blood come from? The man could have sustained an injury on his last outing. And who's to say it was his? Wait, was it Green Coats? Did Ice Cream punch him? He began to feel dizzy at the contradictions in his head as he noticed both Ice Cream and Green Coat were looking at him expectantly.

An simple idea came to Arno before he nodded.

Green Coat turned at break neck speed, before he ran, grabbed his tool kit from his work station and followed the other Assassin out of the room.

~

Green Coat, tool bag tightly in his grasp, followed Ice Cream into his old shared room. He couldn't believe it. The man was going to finally talk to him! Since his chastising and subsequent sickness, he and Ice Cream hadn't spoken once. He had tried to get Ice Cream alone to approach the subject and apologize but the man had walked back out of the tavern's storage room upon seeing the twenty-one year old and no one else in the room.

The black haired man walked further into their shared room, seeing with a jolt how his own bed was now under the oppression of Axe's clothes and belongings. The man was like a beast, not only in his looks but in how he had marked out his territory, seeing belts and other equipment hauled up together in a pile, sheets scruffy and a large pair of trousers was hanging off of a bed post. He looked to his left and saw that the hail storm from a few weeks ago had damaged part of the windows, seeing wooden planks across a couple of panes. But that didn't matter, he mentally told himself. Ice Cream and himself were alone in their room and the man had called him here.

“Ice Cream,” Green Coat sighed happily as he shut the door, walking over, reaching to capture the others hand-

Ice Cream jerked his arm away.

Green Coat stilled, smile slowly falling from his face. Ice Cream was looking at him, hurt evident in his eyes.

“Ice Cream-” Green Coat said, pleading.

“I have not forgiven you.”

Green Coat stared, taken aback. He was sure, so sure, that the moment the both of them were alone that he could apologize and they could be again how they were...it was only a small scuffle, a meaningless fight with Arno. Surely it didn't mean anything-

“I cannot tell you how much your theft and fight with Arno has concerned me,” Ice Cream said flatly, facing the younger man.

Green Coat swallowed, finding his mouth drying up. For a second he didn't know what the man was talking about, as he slowly put his tool kit down onto a table. Theft? But then he saw books near his lover's bed and remembered the small black diary. It was nothing, he had convinced himself. He knew Arno had messed with his work station so he was acting in retribution. In fact, he wasn't even after the diary but found it anyway, trying to take something the same size as a ball bearing.

He cursed his vengeful emotions.

Ice Cream turned away, making Green automatically dart forwards grabbing at an arm again. He had to apologize, he didn't mean to upset his lover or the whole group. He wasn't a thief, if anyone it was Arno, why did he touch his work station in the first place-

“Don't touch me.”

Green Coat let his arm go limp. He knew that tone and look. The black haired man felt his back go straight, the beginnings of frustration creeping into his voice. “Then why did you ask me to help you?”

The taller Assassin closed the gap between them, staring hard at the other.

“Because I'm going to punish you,” Ice Cream swallowed, looking between one pewter colored eye to the next.

“Punish me?! You-” Green Coat quickly looked around at the shut door, realizing how loud his voice had suddenly become, before he lowered it again. He looked back at those crystal clear eyes, how even though he was being chastised yet again he couldn't really be angry at Ice Cream. “Being away from you has been punishment enough..." he said whispering.

Ice Cream looked away, seeming to waver as Green Coat took a step closer, continuing to whisper.

“I miss waking up with you in my arms...” Green Coat said as he took another step closer. “Everyday I'm away from you, is torture-”

“...you have no idea how much I've been worried...” Ice Cream whispered back, a frown still on his face mingled with a face of anguish.

Green Coat moved closer.

“Please, Ice Cream, let me apologize...”

Ice Cream closed his eyes, biting his lip. He pulled himself mentally together before he waved a stern hand to something near him.

"Get on the bed."

Green Coat did what he was told.

Ice Cream followed him.

The dark haired man looked up from where he sat on the sheets, looking up at the man looming over him.

“Take your clothes off.”

Green pulled his green jacket off, followed by his white shirt, boots and breeches, feeling the others eyes watching his every move. He had hardly seen this commanding side to his lover. He knew Ice Cream was powerful when he had to be, but he hardly ever saw him angry. Right now, he looked livid mingled with some other emotion.

“Lie down,” Ice Cream's hard voice commanded.

Green Coat obeyed, lying down, completely naked and feeling the most vulnerable as he ever could. He watched as Ice Cream climbed onto the bed, on top of him, hovering over him on all fours. Green Coat felt some of the others brown-copper hair brush onto his cheek as that scent of Vanilla invaded his nostrils. He blinked a couple of times. The smell was beginning to drug him, as he felt his body react strongly, blood pooling below his waist, making him go hard instantly. As highly aroused as he was, Green Coat was also very weary. He had never pissed off Ice Cream as much as he had done now, and he continuously forgot the man was a dangerous Assassin.

“You are to keep your hands at your sides, until I tell you other wise,” Ice Cream said near enough growling, the sound like ecstasy to Green Coat's body as lust slammed into his stomach.

Green Coat watched as Ice Cream sat on his lap, beginning to unbuckle his own trousers.

“And you are not to touch me.”

Green Coat felt his breath quicken, his eyes going wide, pupils dilating as that all consuming lust began to eat him from the inside out.

Once his trousers were undone, Ice Cream leaned forwards, that brown-copper hair once again brushing deliciously across the dark haired Assassin's face and shoulders as he watched Ice Cream position himself. Oh Gods, he wasn't...was he?! Green Coat bit his lip as he felt his own cock beginning to deliciously enter the Lock Pick Assassin-

“Look at me!”

Green Coat snapped his eyes open at the command from the man above him, watching as Ice Cream tried to keep a hold of his composure as he slowly sat back on the engorged member, gritting his teeth, breath hitching. Green Coat began to moan as Ice Cream slowly impaled himself on the Lock Smith Assassin. Green Coat momentarily lost control as his hands jerked up to grab at curved hips. No sooner had they moved then Ice Cream's strangled voice shouted at him not to touch him. Green Coat grunted, forcing his arms back onto the sheets, fists clenched as Ice Cream slowly raised his hips. Green Coat began to whine as his body's want to move began to take over his brain. Ice Cream moved his hips up and then with out warning, slammed them down. Green Coat nearly came at the motion, gasping, as his hands once again shot up to the others hips. But before he touched skin, Ice Cream's own hands grabbed his wrists and slammed them down on the sheets, down by his side.

“I-I...said don't touch me!”

Green Coat wanted to scream, wanted to thrust, wanted to move but all he could do was cry out as Ice Cream held him down while he took the Lock Picker. Green Coat felt the other lean his head down, onto his chest, grunting in high wines as Green Coat forced his eyes open, jerking against the mattress as he caught a glimpse of the ceiling. He was inside his lover but all control was gone. He threw his head to the side, burying his face into the pillows, which did no good, the whole bed smelt of the man that was using him oh so frustratingly! He was trying with all his might not to reach up, even in the grip of Ice Cream's hands, and touch the other that he almost didn't notice Ice Cream himself whining, face now crimson red.

“Never, ever," Ice Cream panted, with every jerk of his hips downwards onto the body below him, "do that- ah- again!”

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!” Green Coat screamed over and over again as he felt himself about to cum, pleading with his lover, as his body shook, madness taking over as he neared the edge of that abyss of pleasure. He had to touch him or it would be too late! Green Coat looked up and their eyes connected.

“I forgive you-!” Ice Cream cried, letting go of Green Coat's wrists.

“Oh God!”, Green Coat gasped as he was finally, _finally_ , allowed to touch his partner. He harshly grabbed the hips of the other Assassin and drove himself upwards, pulling Ice Cream's hips downwards in a violent thrust. Ice Cream cried out at the deep penetration. Green Coat fed all his hurt and fear into the act, his body apologizing for the upset he had caused the group, to Axe, even to Arno, but most of all to his lover above him. Both Assassin's bodies strained with the efforts of their union, both running towards the edge, but together now, all the hurt, confusion and want gone, once more turning into a catalyst of pleasure. Suddenly Green Coat felt himself climax as the other tightened around him and both cried out.

Green Coat felt his body shudder at his own release, continuing to jerk his hips into his partner. Ice Cream's thighs gave out and he fell onto the others chest, with a strangled cry, his whole body shaking in post orgasm. No sooner had he, then Green Coat wrapped his arms around the other securely, kissing every patch of peach skin he could find, wishing for them never to part, inhaling Vanilla. Both bodies still shaking at the shock of their rough union. Ice Cream lifted his head and Green Coat swallowed seeing those blue eyes gazing into his soul.

“I've missed you so much,” Ice Cream whispered, blinking, his eyes moist with tears.

"And I you..." Green Coat whispered as he brushed light brown and copper hair from the others face.

“I never want to be separated from you again,” Ice Cream breathed, cuddling closer.

"I'll never leave you," Green Coat soothed, wrapping his arms around the other, "I promise."

The two Assassins didn't leave the room for the rest of the day.

~

“Why do you dislike Arno?”

At the mention of the other Assassin, Green Coat blinked. After yesterday's rather intense reunion and thus a more subdued and peaceful night together, the two Assassins had awoken then headed down in the early morning to the kitchen to find breakfast. On the way they had seen Axe who had told them to get ready, he was calling a group meeting in half an hour. They both had then made their way back up the stairs and were now changing into their full Assassin uniforms. If Axe was calling a meeting it could only mean one thing: a mission was on the horizon.

“I don't,” Green Coat said pulling his white shirt on over his head.

“You don't?”

“Yes.”

Green Coat leaned over to the side table, picking up his heavy belt, feeling the air move near him as Ice Cream came up to his side.

“I've seen how you are towards him," Ice Cream said quietly. "It's unfair-”

“Unfair?!" Green Coat said in disbelief. "He's put all our lives in danger. How am I supposed to respect someone like that?”

Ice Cream looked at him.

Green Coat coughed, looking back down at the dresser, then to his belt, fixing it in place. He ignored the meaning of Ice Cream's look, having a flash back of the old apartment HQ blowing up in a cloud of gun powder as the four of them just about escaped in time.

“He does not care for us," Green Coat said flatly, feeling the eyes of his lover on his back, as he pulled his belt shut and reached for his trade mark green coat.

“You don't have to be scared of him.”

“...I'm not scared...," Green Coat said flatly, pulling his coat tightly around him.

Ice Cream remained silent, watching as the man went and sat on their bed, picking up his boots on the way. Green Coat pulled one boot on then stopped, looking behind him at his partner.

“You're taking his side now?”

“What side?" Ice Cream said, exasperated. "There are no sides to our group.”

Green Coat shook his head and returned to putting on his other boot. Ice Cream didn't understand, he thought. The man was so kind and eager to see the good in everyone he couldn't see how dangerous having an ex-templar in close proximity was. He ignored the niggling fact that Arno was trying to make peace with him.

Ice Cream breathed in sharply, walking forwards towards the Assassin.

“This jealousy towards him has to stop,” he said softly as Green Coat finally put his other boot on, stood and began to busy himself with his travel pack that was lying on the side table.

"Green, we don't need those," his lover said quietly, gesturing to the travel bag.

Green Coat didn't make eye contact or respond, as he pulled out item after item from his travel bag, checking them over in his hands, before putting them back in. Twice.

"Would you believe we would end up as lovers?" Ice Cream whispered softly after a long silence of watching the twenty-one year old. "When you were dismissive of me in the beginning...?"

Green Coat slammed both his hands onto the table, shutting his eyes and screwing his face up in a scowl. His chest hurting at the memory of him insulting Ice Cream all that time ago. He was so ashamed at how he had behaved. What the hell had he been thinking? Before a soft hand brushed across his own right hand that was pressed against the wooden surface.

"Green Coat..."

Green Coat kept his eyes shut.

"...Green Coat, look at me..."

The twenty-one year old remained still, his stubborn and guilt ridden pride not letting him move.

Both Assassins were silent for a long time before Ice Cream whispered softly.

“...Vincent?”

Vulnerable brown-earthen eyes connected to warm sky blue ones.

“He is of no threat to us,” Ice Cream whispered again, gently squeezing the others hand that was on the desk, with his own.

Green Coat looked down at their hands. Ice Cream was right, he thought as he intertwined his fingers with Ice Cream's tenderly.

“But if he finds out about you...” Green Coat whispered.

“Let him. Because nothing will change how I feel about you,” the Lock Picker said making Green Coat look up.

“Nothing?”

“Nothing,” Ice Cream said smiling.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Oh this chapter! Originally intended to be just one, but then things got intense, so I split it up into three parts. Seeing as I wanted to convey how and why both Ice Cream and Green Coat agree that nothing with break them apart. Plus, it was kinda interesting to see how far I could push the dominant side to the Lock Picker within the realms of his personality. Also we get to know Green Coat's real name! Which, ironically, is Latin for "to win, to conquer." I wonder if his hatred of Latin extends to his name...?
> 
> Back to the normal chapter numberings with Chapter Thirteen: The One That Got Away.


	13. The One That Got Away

~

“I have not forgiven you.”

Arno pressed his ear to the gap in the wood of the ceiling below him, straining to hear Ice Cream's voice. The boy willed his own frame not to move an inch, save he made a noise, as the wooden beam he was currently sitting on cut into his left thigh painfully. He watched as Ice Cream stood with his back towards him from his vantage point viewing the tops of their heads, seeing Green Coat's face drop slowly. Arno tried to breathe quietly. He had been so tired of trying to guess what was going on between them that he decided a bit of underhanded detective work wouldn't go amiss. The young ex-Templar had waited until the other two had left his room before he took off, jogging down the opposite corridor. He vaulted up to the loft hatch in the top corner of the passageway, squeezing into the moldy and rotten smelling roof space. He had then mentally retraced his steps, keeping a mental image of the  tavern's floor plan below him. Arno carefully stepped over the arches and empty dust covered boxes of the attic space to get to where he needed to be. It took him a few minutes, while trying not to make a sound, before he heard Green Coat's voice calling out for Ice Cream. Arno had silently taken up position in the space directly above their room, spying a few viewing cracks in the ceiling below him. Time to find out what was going on.

“I cannot tell you how much your theft and fight with Arno has concerned me," he heard Ice Cream say.

Arno tilted his head to the side at the mention of his name, before he saw Ice Cream turn away and Green Coat jumping forwards to grab the man's arm.

“Don't touch me.”

Arno narrowed his eyes in concentration as Ice Cream spun back to face the other Assassin. Arno tried not to let a self-righteous smirk grace his lips. Green Coat was being told off. Oh, this was too much fun. Finally that miserable piece of work was getting a seeing too. It wasn't that he hated Green Coat, he really didn't. Disliked him, yes. But in fact, he admired the man, for if it wasn't for him all of their equipment would be jamming up regularly and the Lock Smith was heavily dedicated to his work. Anyone with that much passion, or obsession, deserved credit. But what he did feel towards Green Coat though was frustration that the green glad man wouldn't even give him a chance to be friendly. Perhaps if Green Coat removed that permanent stick from up his arse then they could attempt to be friends. But right now, Arno was entranced by the conversation the two below him were having. He mentally congratulated himself on his idea of spying, even though his thigh was beginning to protest more at the continued weight of his body being pressed onto it.

“Then why did you ask me to help you?” he saw Green Coat say, his voice with a touch of frustration.

“Because I'm going to punish you.”

“Punish me?! You-”

Arno watched as Green Coat quickly looked behind him at the shut door before looking back at Ice Cream. Oh mate, it's not behind you that you need to check, a voice in Arno's head laughed heartily, but it was soon silenced by the rest of his mind. Ice Cream was going to punish Green Coat? Oh, this just kept getting better and better.

“Being away from you has been punishment enough..."

"Oh, hello," Arno blinked. He inched his face closer to the gap in the plaster covered wood, holding his breath, ignoring the now scream of pain from his left leg at his awkward leaning position as the Assassin below him continued talking.

“I miss waking up with you in my arms...”

Arno opened up his mouth, eyes wide. It was true, they were lovers! He suppressed a noise of triumph at finally solving the puzzle and instead smiled, relieved that it wasn't anything sinister like the theory that Ice Cream was a punching bag for Green Coat. At least now he didn't have to wonder anymore, Arno had gotten his answer. Interesting, he had thought for a long time that the Lock Smith was asexual as when ever Arno and Axe had spoken about women Green Coat just didn't seem the slightest bit interested. Must be because Green Coat preferred men?

“...you have no idea how much I've been worried...”

He felt a pang of pity for Ice Cream, for the man was speaking the truth. While Green Coat was sick in bed, the Lock Picker had been, apart from highly agitated, tired looking himself as bags had developed under his eyes. Towards the end of the Lock Smith's illness, he hadn't seen Ice Cream at all but was sure he heard him talking to Axe in one of the tavern's bedrooms. Arno continued to watch. Seemed Ice Cream preferred men too. Not that it bothered Arno, as quite frankly it wasn't his business which gender one took for a lover. It also wasn't his business to be watching them from a hole in the ceiling, a voice in his held scolded him, but he shut it up with the justification that he needed to know what the dynamic was between them. Nothing more. Besides, what was he meant to do instead? Ask Axe if he knew if two in his group were in a secret relationship?

“Please, Ice Cream, let me apologize...”

Arno winced as his thigh started to feel numb. Well, he got what he came for, time to go. Arno raised an arm up slowly onto an upper beam and began to push himself up to standing. He'd sneak back the way he came-

"Get on the bed."

Arno stopped moving.

“Take your clothes off.”

Arno's eyes shot open. Something in Ice Cream's voice gave him reason to pause. Part of him said to leave now but the other half told him to continue watching the drama unfolding, for he had never seen or heard Ice Cream being commanding. Arno leaned back down, curious to this new part of the Lock Picker's personality, his thigh once again blossoming into pain at the repeated sitting position. Arno watched as Green Coat began to take his clothes off.

“Lie down.”

What the-?! Ok, _definitely_ time to leave. As much as he enjoyed watching Green Coat being humbled and knocked down a peg or two, seeing the sight of him in his birthday suit he could very much do without. He made to move but found his leg had now gone completely numb. Arno gingerly inched his way over to another beam and pulled his leg up slowly and as silently as he could onto it. He kneaded his fingers into the flesh, trying to massage some feeling back into it.

“You are to keep your hands at your sides, until I tell you other wise.”

Arno grimaced as the feeling wasn't coming back fast enough-

“I-I...said don't touch me!”

Arno made a face of utter horror as suddenly he heard Green Coat moan in ecstasy. Oh good Lord, no, he didn't want to hear this! Part of him began to chide himself at how it served him right. He had predicted this wasn't a good idea, but he still went ahead with it anyway. He should have escaped the moment Ice Cream mentioned the word "bed". Arno growled under his breath, trying to move his fucking dead-weight of a leg-

“Never, ever, do that- ah- again!”

Arno tried to wiggle his toes, jabbing at his calf muscles desperately, but in doing so accidentally hit a nerve on his thigh, making his foot jerk out and slam against the plaster wall.

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!”

Arno hunched over, screwing up his face and swore at how loud the sound of plaster cracking was.

“I forgive you-!”

And then at how intense the pain in his foot was that followed.

“Oh God!”

Arno finally gave up on his leg and slammed the heel of his palms painfully against his ears, the echo of both of the Assassin's moaning following him into in his mind. He clenched his eyes shut, trying to mentally pull himself together as the grunting and whining was mercifully shut out. He wondered how long he would have to remain like this, like some accidental pervert. He decided to count to a hundred. Upon number thirty two, he cautiously opened up an eye, swallowed and cast it downwards. They had stopped. Arno slowly removed his hands from his ears. Oh, thank God. But suddenly it was eerily quiet. Shit, did they hear him hit his foot? But as he looked back down through the ceiling, he saw them embraced in each others arms, nuzzling and kissing with exhaustion. It hit Arno that he could have actually shouted at them to stop and they wouldn't have noticed, so wrapped up in each other were they.

“I've missed you so much...”

"And I you..."

Arno began to stand and decided he'd rather drag his leg back to the end of the loft, making all the noise in the world, than to risk hearing them copulate again.

“I never want to be separated from you again.”

"I'll never leave you. I promise."

~

Arno laid awake in bed. He had tried to sleep but considering Axe was across from him snoring his head off, it was nigh on impossible. The larger man had said that they were to share tonight again as the other room was occupied; said that Green Coat and Ice Cream needed to talk. Arno could have snorted. Oh he had heard the "talking" alright. But ever since he did, Arno had been acting like he hadn't snuck into the roof, invaded their privacy and accidentally seen and heard them fucking.

Arno closed his eyes with a groan and turned over in bed.

 Jesus, he was never doing that again. After getting just enough control back over his damn leg, Arno had gingerly climbed down and landed with a wince on the creaking wooden corridor. After forgoing dinner, his appetite unsurprisingly absent, he turned in for the night. He felt dirty. Like he had seen something he was definitely was not meant too. He scoffed to himself. Of course he wasn't meant to have sodding seen them. What was that famous line? Curiosity killed the cat? Well his misadventure didn't kill him but Arno wasn't about to risk it by telling Green Coat he thought Ice Cream sounded like a mare in heat.

Arno gazed into the darkness of the room, deep in thought, as the lamp light from outside cast distorted shapes across the floor. The tavern was shut for the entire day, and was to be tomorrow. Axe had mentioned to him that Mirabeau wanted to talk to them so had shut up shop for a few days. Although why they he needed days to close and not half a day, Arno wasn't sure. The ex-templar was greeted again by the uncomfortable and borderline erotic memories of what he had heard. His view of Green Coat and Ice Cream was shifting and changing in light of this new evidence. He cast his mind back to all the times Green Coat had been cold towards him. All the looks and sneers...even him asking the man about Ice Cream and the harsh warning that came from it. Maybe the Lock Smith was doing it on purpose to keep Arno away from his secret partner? Well, one thing was certain, Arno thought. Green Coat was protective over Ice Cream. Hmm, that must be why Green was so passive aggressive? Maybe...maybe he thought Arno was a potential rival? Well, he didn't have to worry about that, he liked Ice Cream but wouldn't want to shag him. Actually, it was oddly satisfying to know that Green Coat was highly protective. At least then Arno knew Ice Cream would never come to real harm while he was around. And Ice Cream...well, he was like a bright light to not just Green Coat but to the entire group. He felt relaxed around the man, and knew Axe thought highly of him. He was intelligent, caring, soft spoken and truth be told, ever so slightly effeminate. Arno was surprised that he _wasn't_ surprised that Ice Cream had a male partner. What did shock him, though, was that it was Green Coat.

_“I've missed you so much...”_

Arno sighed. They weren't just in it for the physical act, it seemed. Ice Cream sounded so vulnerable when he had said that, and Green Coat had replied with just as much vulnerability. They were lovers, simple as that. But did it change how Arno now saw them? Well, not really...not much, Arno thought to himself. His view on Ice Cream didn't alter, but he oddly felt a twinge of empathy towards Green Coat. Arno turned over on his stomach and felt under his pillow for the familiar texture of leather, finding it and pulling the small black diary out. He could just about see the golden letters of his initials flicker in the limited light. He knew how it felt to be in love. To care for another so deeply that he would do anything to protect them. Arno smiled as his finger tips traced the letters in the darkness. He really would have done anything for her.

~

The next morning Arno woke swearing he could bizarrely smell the sea and blearily descended the stairs into the quiet tavern, his bare feet not making a sound. The scene he had witnessed last night was still not leaving his conscious. He rubbed his eyes with the back of a white sleeve as he tottered down the stairs, swearing the image of the two Assassins might as well be burnt into the backs of his eyelids. He hadn't gotten a wink of sleep, or if he did he had drempt he was still awake.  Well, if he got anything out of yesterday's trespassing was that he could put to rest his theory of Ice Cream and Green Coat being together, Arno thought before he reached the last step and put his foot straight into something wet with a slosh. Arno looked down and saw-

"...oh, Christ!"

Axe began laughing from where he was sitting across the room at Arno jumping away from the mushy fish carcass that was now crushed into the stone floor. Arno looked up with bewilderment at the other man before the bearded Assassin spoke.

"The nearby fish mongers 'ad their monthly meeting 'ere last night."

"So I now gather..." Arno said with a frown, hopping on one foot over to the bar and hunting for a cloth.

"And today is François day off," Axe said licking his thumb and turning a page of the newspaper that was in his large hands.

"You didn't think to clean it up yourself?" Arno nearly grumbled, reaching the bar and leaning onto it.

"Nah, was wondering which of you poor sods was going to find it first."

Arno shook his head as he continued on his journey.

"You missed a good dinner last night, all types' a fish were 'ere," Axe said from behind his periodical, feet up on the table.

Arno found a clean-ish cloth and wiped the gunk off of his foot, pulling a face of disgust. It wasn't so much the feeling of fish guts that made his core shudder but how cold the mush was. Didn't help he was bare foot, either.

"Coffee's just brewed," Axe said pulling a chair out as Arno made his way over who threw the soiled cloth into a nearby bucket.  "Come 'ere and have a cuppa."

Arno sat down onto the wooden chair and pulled the large steaming pot towards himself, rubbing his eyes, before pouring some into a small cup. The smell of the coffee hit his senses and he felt himself be lifted slightly. Seemed the tavern was also a part time cafe? Arno looked up at the man sitting opposite him, the large title of the front page blared out to him as he put the large coffee pot back down.

_MYSTERY STILL OF ROOF TOP EXPLOSION. IS AUSTRIA TO BLAME?_

Arno felt a familiar memory come to the surface as he looked over to the collection of boots resting near the doorway and saw an identical rolled up newspaper in Green Coat's, with the word "Austria" crossed out in black ink and replaced with "dick head".

"You're never going to let him live that down, are you?"

"Nope," Axe said with glee, beaming from ear to ear, as he fluffed out his own newspaper, boots crossed over on the table.

Arno looked back up at the newspaper in Axe's grasp and saw a collection of them off to the side. He pinched the edge of one and pulled it towards himself. He blinked a few times at the print but couldn't get a focus to read. God, he needed to sleep. Arno cast his eyes around the page. Apart from the "mysterious" explosion story, there were more stories about hoarders stock piling flour and at how the recent hailstorm had caused havoc for crops. He shut the periodical with a flap of paper, cringing, all concentration gone. Mon Deu, why did he think sneaking into the roof was a good idea?-

"You're rather quiet this morning, Arno," Axe said behind his newspaper.

The twenty-one year old nodded with a grunt, before looking to his right, through the window and saw a bustling Paris street waking up. He looked up at the small wooden beams that criss-crossed the window, before pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I couldn't sleep."

"Any reason?" Axe sniffed, turning a page, not looking up.

"I um..." Arno said, rubbing his eyes and bringing the steaming coffee up to his lips, "I stayed up..." he lied, "I was reading-

"You heard 'em fucking, didn't you?"

Arno spat the hot liquid out, choking, trying to swallow and cough at the same time, but only succeeding in burning part of his lip, before he regained control, and looked up.

"What-I...wait, you know about them?!"

"Of course I know," Axe said, laughing as he looked over the top of the paper. "I may be older than you, but I ain't deaf."

Arno made a face, closing his eyes, trying to will an eligible question to ask as his front temple began to hurt. "You've known..all along?"

 "Why do you think I told you we were sharing last night?"Axe nodded, shoulders still shaking in laughter. "Thought they could use some privacy," the burly leader continued.  "Seeing as they ain't spoken since I gave yours and his green arse a hiding."

Arno groaned as the sounds and images very unbecomingly came back to haunt him, resting his forehead onto a palm, elbow on the table. He couldn't tell Axe he knew already that the Lock Smith and Picker were intimate partners because he spied in on them. Even if the guilt of his actions was increasing in his stomach. The headache was gently throbbing at the front of his head, whether from tiredness or what, he didn't know. Shit, he hoped he wasn't coming down with what Green Coat had.

"You, er..." Axe said, lowing his newspaper fully to see Arno, before he nodded to the upper floors where Ice Cream and Green Coat were, "...alright with...?"

"...Sodomy?" Arno asked, looking through exhausted eyelids.

Axe looked to the side, thinking for a moment, before making a face of half agreeing.

"I think that you can't help which gender you fall in love with or want to bed..." Arno said picking up his coffee cup once more. "Who one goes out with is none of my business anyway."

"Good to hear," Axe said smiling, ripping a large square of newspaper out of the page he was reading. "Glad to know we're on the same page. Would 'ave let ya known sooner, but..."

Arno looked up as Axe continued, folding up his newspaper in his massive hands.

"...well, none of us knew how you were gonna take it."

"Take it?" Arno asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Aye, they've had, eh... _problems_...in the past, with folks finding out."

"Why, what happened?" Arno said frowning, semi knowing. If Green Coat's hostility towards him was anything to go by then something very bad must have happened in the past?

Axe slightly stood up, leaned over to the window next to Arno and let some air in with a creak of a rusty hinge. "You don't wanna know, lad," he said cryptically as he pushed the small window open with a "ah, much better."

Arno mulled this information over in his head. They had problems? Well, inside the Creed he really had no idea if Assassins paring up was illegal. But then seeing as the phrase "Everything is Permitted" was part of their mantra, he didn't think it was likely. What Arno did know, however, was that the laws of the land they lived in did prohibit it, but whether or not punishment was enforced was another thing.

"I just..."Arno said, taking another sip of coffee as Axe leaned down to his side and picked up his trade mark weapon from where it had been lying next to his chair, putting it onto the table gently.

"I just wish I didn't hear them, you know?" Arno said, swallowing the brew.  "Ice Cream sounds like he's being tortured."

"Well when Green Coat's ya lover, I suppose," Axe said pulling a face, reaching over to a heavy leather bag on the back of his chair and pulling out a brown cloth.

They were silent for a long time as Arno watched the older man beginning to polish the Axe's blade. He saw the Assassin dip the cloth into a small tin of what looked like soft and yellow wax, gently rubbing it onto the metal's surface. Arno closed his eyes for a few moments, leaning back on his chair, catching some winks, letting the coffee do it's work.

"How long have you know him?" Arno asked, not opening up his eyes.

"Who, Green or Ice?"

"Hmm, both," Arno mumbled.

"I've known Green all his life," Axe said not looking up from his work. "I were friends with his father. And Ice..." he continued, with a long breath of "haaaaa" onto the axe's blade, before he continued polishing, "...since he were about your age, I'd reckon."

"And how long have they been..." Arno asked, opening his eyes and bringing his hand up to show Axe, crossing two of his fingers over.

" 'bout a year and a half, but I suspect it's been going on much longer," the bearded Assassin replied, picking up the Axe and tilting it into the light, inspecting.

"So how long have you known?" Arno asked, curiously.

"Since before day one," Axe said, still scrutinizing the now gleaming weapon.

Arno blinked and felt himself waking up. Hmm, this was some good coffee. So Ice Cream and Green Coat had been together ever since and way before he joined then. The ex-templar watched as the older Assassin got up from his chair, large and muscular arms pressing onto the table. Arno snorted. To think he won an arm wrestle against those things-

"Oh God," Arno cringed, closing his eyes in sudden realization, making a face of disgust. "They were having sex after the Bastille, weren't they?"

Axe began to laugh loudly as he secured the weapon back in it's holster, moving a couple of chairs over to their table. "Why do you think I let ya win that arm wrestle so easily?"

Another mystery came to Arno's mind, making him shudder uncomfortably.

"So that's the real reason why Ice Cream's been limping?"

Axe nodded, pulling a face, before he looked up to see Mirabeau opening up the front door and entering. "Just do us a favor, son," Axe said leaning down so only Arno could hear. "Don't let Romeo and Juliet know that you've cottoned onto 'em."

"What, even after last night's performance?" Arno said with an awkward smile.

"Trust me, they ain't usually that vocal," Axe continued to whisper, waving over to his brother-in-law. "But you know what they say, "absences makes the heart grow fonder" n' all that," he said turning and walking over to the tavern owner.

Arno nodded as he watched Axe greet Gabriel, who was shaking off his coat, arm of newspapers under his elbow.

"I learn something new everyday..." Arno said, as he brought the cup up to his mouth and downed the last of the bitter coffee.

~

"Who do you think compromised ya' ?"

"Could 'ave been anyone, Gab'...” Axe said grumbling. “Someone followed us back after the Bastille, broken into our apartment- “

"Mrs Breton?” Arno asked. He hated to think it but...well, they did blow up her house with a suspiciously large amount of gunpowder without any form of compensation.

The three of them were sitting at the same table as they were before, in the tavern's main room. Two chairs were empty at the circular table and currently waiting for their occupiers to return with food. As the kitchen boy, François, had been given the day off, Ice Cream had volunteered to make them all an early lunch. Green Coat had gone to help him.

Arno thought back to Mrs Breton. He knew her very briefly as the woman who lived in the apartment above them, back at their old apartment aka make-shift HQ. He had suspected for a long time that it could have been her who informed the authorities there were Assassins next door. He had seen Axe talking to her on occasion, but she seemed friendly enough. She even gave Ice Cream a basket with some homemade cake one day, which they all agreed was highly delicious. Arno frowned. He hoped she was alright after the blast. Axe had assured him that she was fine, as besides, she was outside the building when it happened so could have ran for cover. But still, Arno thought, it was rather unfortunate what happened. After this next mission, he'd go and check up on her, he owed her that much.

“Nah,” Axe said, “Wouldn't have been her.”

“Why not?” Gabriel, aka Mirabeau, countered.

“Trust me, it weren't her-”

“Then you know 'o it was,” Mirabeau countered again, putting his mug of ale down onto the table.

Axe gave him a look before he pursed his lips.

“...It were Green-”

“What?!” Arno nearly shouted.

“He didn't do it on purpose..." Axe continued, looking annoyed, casting a glace over at the kitchen doorway, before he leaned forwards on his chair whispering. “You remember I told you to get ya' arse back down from the Bastille wall right, Arno?”

Arno nodded, thinking back.

“Well, after our "jitters" arm wrestling, I went out to get some fresh air...” Axe said as he lent back in his chair. "I had a gander round the market, here and there-"

“How far did you go?” Arno suddenly interrupted, not fully sure why he was asking.

“Far enough," Axe said offhandedly. "As I was on me way back, I spotted a man talking to bunch of guards, then he saw me and ran. So," Axe continued, opening up his palms, "I went after 'im," then Axe sucked in his teeth dramatically. “He was a Templar.”

Arno's eyes went wide.

“And he's definitely a Templar?” Axe's brother in law asked from the side.

“Aye, he were Gab', I never forget a face,” Axe said mysteriously, a dark look on his face. “I tried to get to 'im but the bastard got away. I managed to get hold of one of the guards he spoke too and he told me they knew we were away from the HQ 'coz they'd seen a green clad 'n hooded figure at the top of the Bastille. So I ran like a bat outta hell to warn you lot.”

“But then how did he know where we were?” Arno asked, his cup of ale had been left to the side. As far as today went, if it wasn't coffee, he could do without it. Besides he knew Mirabeau liked his drink, so he'd strategically push it across the table towards the man later.

“Dunno, the sod could have been watching us for a long time,” Axe grumbled again.

“You said you knew him,” the non Assassin said, taking a mouth full of ale.

“Oh aye,” Axe said with that dark tone, once more. “I know him,” he continued, taking a drink, before there was a creak from the the kitchen door and all men looked round to see Ice Cream entering with a large black pot of steaming broth in his hands. Green Coat followed soon after with five wooden bowls in his hands complete with spoons. Arno looked at Green Coat. It appeared the man didn't over hear them talking just now.

"Monsieur Mirabeau, I couldn't find any bread...?" Ice Cream asked, as Green Coat dished out the bowls and spoons to each person.

"That's 'coz there ain't none," the fat man said, taking a bowl.

Axe raised an eyebrow.

"That hail storm that came in a few weeks back, it destroyed the supply of grain from which I get me bread from. And I've heard nothing but complaining from her..." Mirabeau grumbled, nodding over to the top most shelf. All four Assassins looked up and saw the innocent red urn with lavender sprigs fastened to the top.

"No matter, soup is fine" Ice Cream said, turning his attention back to the table with an awkward smile, putting the heavy pot onto the table.

Soon all five men were tucking into their meals, talking every now and again about the Revolution, or rather they would if they could get a word in edge ways with Mirabeau yacking on. For the next hour the large tavern owner explained to them, in intricate detail, about the stance of the King upon his people and the parliament in how they were dealing with the Revolution. It was fascinating, Arno thought. The twenty-one year old had gotten lost a couple of times in some of the technical language, but Axe was lapping it up. Even though the huge man had the entire table as his captive audience, it was curious to find out what was happening in the rest of Paris, or indeed, in the rest of France. Arno looked to his left a couple of times and saw the other two Assassin's secretly glancing at each other smiling. Arno smiled to himself seeing how close together they were sitting. It was rather sweet in an odd sort of way. Odd being that he still really didn't like Green Coat. He had felt extremely awkward when they had sat next to him for their erotic vocal performance still echoing like a symphony in his head but it soon mercifully faded away into the background as Mirabeau spoke. At the end of two hours, Axe stood up.

"Right, break time lads. For I think we all know what's coming next...,"Axe said, as Mirabeau took his cue and picked up the large and now empty serving pot.

"A highly dangerous mission," Green Coat said as he picked up a couple of used bowls, Ice Cream collecting the rest.

"Aye," Axe said, slapping the Lock Smith on the back. "So go and piss 'coz I ain't stopping for loo breaks during the planning."

 Arno watched the table leave, until after a few minutes he was back with just Axe as his companion. He looked again at the urn standing on the top most perch. He wondered why Gabriel's wife had died and when. Then he saw out of the corner of his eye Axe picking up another newspaper, scanning it.

 “Axe, you said you have a wife?” Arno asked.

“Aye, that I do,” the axe-carrying-Assassin said, fluffing out his newspaper again seeming to be reading the top story again.

"Is she an Assassin too?" Arno asked, frowning at the sudden disinterest from the other man.

"...Eh, sorta'-" he said again, turning the page, not looking at Arno.

“Arno," a soft voice called from behind his shoulder making the twenty-one year old turn around.  "May I have some help? I need to get a few things from the shop and need more than two hands.”

Arno looked up and saw Ice Cream smiling behind him, with a hand on the back of his chair. Odd, why wasn't he asking Green Coat? Oh no, did Ice Cream know he had been spying on them? Arno nodded, excusing himself from Axe and, once he put on his boots, nervously followed Ice Cream out into the street. The two made their way down the streets and through bands of people milling around and even saw a couple of fights break out. Arno made a face, momentarily forgetting his potential peril at the hands of Ice Cream. Seemed the recent bread shortage had touched more people than he had first thought. They turned a corner, past some armed guards who looked at them briefly before continuing on their way. Arno felt the weight of his hidden blade next to his arm. If any of those guards Axe had come up against saw them then he was ready. After a little while longer, Arno was about to ask where they were going until they walked up to a man behind a small stall.

"Ah, good morning Frederick," the man called warmly, reaching down under his wooden counter, bringing out a small red leather bag, beginning to untie it, "Same as usual?"

"Yes please, Monsieur Christophe," Ice Cream smiled warmly as the man opened up the bag, picked out two pieces of dark brown root and plopped them into the white one the Assassin was holding out.

"That'll be 16 sou, please," the man said and Ice Cream put the money into the stall seller's hand with a raised eyebrow.

"Really Christophe? _16_ this time?" Ice Cream teased with a chuckle.

"Gotta make a living, my friend. Mouths to feed, wives dresses I have to pay for," he continued as he opened the red bag again. "I may not be here next month, me wife's mother is not well" he whispered and handed a third large root to the Assassin. "So this is a present, for always buying from here, don't tell everyone though," he said, winking and tapping his noise.

"Oh...thank you," Ice Cream said, taken aback with the kind gesture, taking the root and putting it with it's brothers in the white bag, pulling the draw string shut. "I will not forget your kindness. My well wishes for you mother-in-law."

"Give my regards to you wife, Frederick!" Arno heard him call as Ice Cream looked behind him and waved, as they left the stall and walked down an alley way.

"...Frederick?" Arno asked when they were out of ear shot, as they squeezed past a few members of the crowd whom were arguing over a basket of lettuce.

"It's not my real name, if you're wondering," Ice Cream smiled with a mischievous glint to his eyes as they walked.

"And your wife?" Arno asked, smirking.

"A story I spun him, can't tell him who I really am, I'm sure you understand. But as I keep buying this," he said indicating to the small bag in his hand, " he was asking why I buy so much, so I'm saying it's for my wife."

"What is it, if I may ask?" Arno asked curiously trying to stop a yawn and failing. God, he was tired. Another cup of coffee wouldn't go amiss right now he mused, as his boots clacked along the cobbled streets in time with Ice Cream.

"Medicinal roots," Ice Cream said looking at Arno who was trying to stop a second wave of yawning. "It helps me with my stomach pains."

Arno nodded as they continued their walk, before Ice cream looked back at him again.

"Are you feeling alright, Arno?" the taller copper haired Assassin asked, concerning his brow.

"Hmm? Woah-!" Arno asked, narrowly getting out of the way of a man running in the opposite direction. "Yeah, just...tired," he smiled. If Ice Cream was to ask him why, he would vouch that he had been reading last night and certainly not being kept away with the memories of the two Assassin's making love. No, wait that wouldn't work. The man was a book enthusiast and would probably ask him which book he was reading-

"Here," Ice Cream said and suddenly turned left into a semi busy court yard.

Arno followed after him towards a light blue door in a side building, looking up, realizing they were about to enter a cafe. The two men walked in, seeing a group of women nattering at a table in the corner, a couple off to their right in deep conversation and a small crowd dancing, as a man standing on a small stage was singing with a woman next to him playing a penny whistle. Arno took a seat in a far corner table as Ice Cream went to the bar. It wasn't long before he came back with two cups of coffee.

"Cheers, mate," Arno sighed and sipped the coffee with a pleasant sigh. He padded his jacket and realized he had left his wallet at the tavern. "I owe you one."

"Think nothing of it," the other Assassin mumbled with a smile, hair band sticking out of his mouth while retying his long copper hair back into a braid.

Arno watched him and got the impression the man was on the edge of fidgeting. Arno prayed that he wasn't going to ask him if he was in the roof space the other day. He knew he couldn't lie to Ice Cream, but fuck it, he'd try on this occasion. It was too mortifying for both parties if he came out and told the truth. So what else was it that Ice Cream wanted to talk to him about?

“So..." Arno said, raising an eyebrow. "I don't think it takes two grown men to carry that small bag of roots."

"You got me," Ice Cream said, smiling, taking the hair band out of his mouth and tying the end of the braid with a tight yank. "Was a little white lie to get you to come with me."

"So what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

"It's erm..." Ice Cream said as he picked up his cup of coffee and took a sip, frowning, "...it's about Axe."

Oh? About Axe? Arno's chest relaxed a bit more as he blinked. He wasn't going to ask Arno anything that was going to make either of them blush.

"What about him?" Arno asked, taking another sip, feeling the drink working it's magic.

"...you know that axe he carries?"

Arno nodded.

"His wife made it."

"Really?" Arno said smiling widely. Damn, that must mean his wife was a black smith or a sword smith. Interesting, he had never heard of a woman making weapons before, but then why not? Arno remembered how Axe had said he loved strong women. Well, to have a woman working a forge would have made her very strong. Could she be an Assassin? It wasn't impossible. But if she was then where was she? Why not join their group?

“So where is she?" Arno asked taking another mouth full of coffee, "Here in Paris?"

"No," Ice Cream said, shaking his head, putting his cup down onto the table slowly.

Oh, maybe she was where the Mentor was?

"In Annecy?"

"No, Arno," Ice Cream said, looking uncomfortable.

“Oh, then were is she?”

“She's dead.”

Arno's eyes shot open as he lowered the cup from his lips.

"...oh, I'm sorry, Ice.”

Ice Cream smile sadly as he took took a sip of the hot liquid.

“It was a long time ago...both she and their, um...” Ice Cream breathed in looking away, before coughing forcefully, “...new born son were murdered.”

“Murdered?” Arno asked, horrified.

Ice Cream nodded solemnly.

"By who? Templars?"

"We don't know," Ice Cream said, nursing the warm and white porcelain cup in his hands.

Arno blinked. _"We don't know"..._? Sounded like Ice Cream knew more than he was letting on.

"May I ask how you know, Ice Cream?"

"I've known Axe for a very long time. I owe him my life in fact," the copper haired man continued speaking quietly with a small smile.

Arno blinked a couple of times as he watched the man pick up a cube of sugar from the table.

"....I stayed with Axe after what happened and helped him take care of his eldest child. He was in no state too...then later he introduced to into the Order."

Arno nodded, taking another sip of coffee.

“Gabriel doesn't know his sister and nephew have gone," Ice Cream said, sorrow in his blue eyes. "For his sake...I know Axe would appreciate it if you didn't bring the subject up again inside the tavern...Gabriel might over-hear something.”

"Oh," Arno said, before he nodded, "No, no, I understand."

“Way before what happened to Axe...when Gabriel's wife died," Ice Cream continued, plopping the sugar cube into his coffee, "He...he went into a state of madness.”

“Madness?” Arno asked, leaning forwards on his chair.

“You saw him nodding to his wife's urn,” Ice Cream said, "Even though she's in a vase, he still talks to her. Always has."

Arno frowned sadly. He remembered that Axe had once said to Mirabeau that his wife and their littlin' were "doing fine". Arno felt his stomach clench with sorrow. Poor Axe, he had no idea...wait, didn't Ice Cream just say he helped take care of Axe's eldest child?

“So Axe has no family left?” Arno asked, raising an eyebrow.

 “No, he does, another child. Bright little thing," Ice Cream said smiling fondly as his eyes lit up in warmth, remembering. The Lock Picker looked at Arno as the smile faded slightly, "But you'll forgive me, Arno, that I'm not at liberty to say more.”

Arno nodded, understanding. It was Axe's family history to tell, not Ice Cream's.

"I think he'd have my hide if he knew I was speaking to you about this," the copper haired man chuckled, taking another drink of steaming coffee.

“How about you?” Arno asked.

“Hmm?” Ice Cream asked, raising his eyebrows as he swallowed the liquid.

"What were you before joining?"

"You'll laugh at me," the Assassin said smiling, putting his cup down.

"Ice Cream, I could never," Arno said, smiling also. It was true, he wouldn't laugh, but now that they were opening up about past histories, Arno's curiosity was getting the better of him again.

"...I was a farmer."

"No," Arno said with a small chuckle of disbelief, before trying to suppress it. "You, a farmer?"

"See? I told you you'd laugh," Ice Cream laughed himself before he continued. "Well...a farmer, black smith, cook, cleaner, stable hand. Anything that needed doing, really."

"...and the lock picking?" Arno asked with a cheeky grin.

Ice Cream smiled hauntingly. "I have to keep somethings a mystery, Arno."

The two men chuckled as they drank their coffee again. Arno felt at peace, it was nice just the two of them. He didn't know if it was the man's voice or the faint trace of Vanilla that was lifting his spirits or the coffee he just drank. Now he thought about it, twas probably all three. Although he couldn't stop thinking about Axe's history...

“So, is there a Mrs Ice Cream out there in the world?” Arno smiled, cocking a teasing eyebrow. He knew full well that Ice Cream was in a relationship with Green Coat but that didn't mean the man hadn't been married. Besides, he wasn't to know himself, right?

“No, no, just me,” Ice Cream smiled, laughing as he continued, picking up a tea spoon from the table.

“Any children?-”

Ice Cream swore as he accidentally dropped his spoon, which hit the table and bounced off onto the floor. Ice Cream pushed back his chair before he coughed, reaching down and picking up the piece of cutlery, before straitening back up, shaking his head.

"Ice Cream... can I ask a personal question?" Arno said, looking down at the table, worrying his brow.

"Of course," the man said, not looking at Arno as he took a cloth and started to wipe the spoon.

“...do you have a family?"

Ice Cream looked up at him with those blue eyes.

“I mean, I had...," Arno said, picking up a piece of sugar himself. "Before I was adopted by the Templars...”

“Did you consider them your family?” Ice Cream asked.

“...once upon a time,” Arno said truthfully.

“As I did mine.”

Arno nodded, knowing that the subject of their conversation was over.

“...what about Green Coat?” he asked suddenly. If they were talking about their pasts then why not bring up the last member of their group?

“He was born into the Creed,” Ice Cream said, smiling. "Compared to him and Axe, I'm just as new to this as you are."

Arno knotted his brow but kept it hidden. He knew the answer to the next question as sure as he knew his own name, but curiosity got the better of him once more. Besides it probably would be a bit odd if he was asking about Ice Cream and Axe but not about Green Coat.

“Does he have a wife?”

“Hmm..." Ice Cream though before he shrugged, finishing wiping his spoon and put it off to the side with a smile, "Maybe."

Arno smiled in his head. He knew the man was out right lying but he didn't blame him. He knew Ice Cream kept his and Green Coat's relationship a secret. And it wasn't his business anyway, even if he was so damn curious. Suddenly, Arno remembered again with a pang that the Assassin across from him had no idea he had violated his privacy. Arno coughed and looked down at the table cloth, feeling the pawing of guilt in his gut. He was grateful that Ice Cream had taken him aside and tactfully told him about Axe and his brother-in-law. And all this time Arno had been here like some deceitful serpent. Well, he didn't have to tell the man he _saw_ them fucking...maybe if he told him he had accidentally heard them and that he was okay with their relationship, then things might not be so cloak and dagger between himself and Green Coat? But then what had Axe told him? Not to tell either Ice Cream or Green Coat that he was aware of their relationship? Arno bit his lip. No, he had to say something...

"Thank you Ice Cream for letting me know," Arno coughed, playing with the sugar cube in his hand, "I'll make sure to keep what we spoke about in mind, but I need to, er... apologize about something..."Arno said looking up but the man wasn't looking at him. Instead he was looking off into the distance at something just over Arno's left shoulder. "Ice Cream?" Arno said again and looked behind him to where the man was staring.

"-what is unnatural, _Sir_ , is to fight for liberty and to only stop when it is given to only half the people," the woman on the stage said angrily, leaning forward on her chair.

"Don't be absurd," the man sitting opposite her countered, waving his hand dismissively, "We shall not rest until _all_ men are free-"

"This is _precisely_ what I'm talking about! This view of women as a separate class of-"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the man interrupted, standing to address the small audience of men and women who were watching at the front of the stage. "But must we actually sit here and be lectured like this? Are we truly to compare a woman's rightful servitude to her husband to the tyranny of monarchy?"

There were murmurs in the audience as suddenly the woman on stage stood up, clenching her fists.

"If a woman may mount the scaffold then she may surely mount the rostrum as well. Women wake up!" she cried into the audience. "Recognize your rights!"

Arno looked back to Ice Cream who was unblinking, watching the exchange in a trance.

"What ever the barriers set up against you, it is in _your_ power to over come them, you only have to want it," the woman said, as Arno looked back at them, before the man opposite her conceited and smiled, nodding, offering out a hand. The two shook and both walked off stage.

"We'd best get back," Arno heard a soft and extremely quiet voice mumble, as he turned in his chair, seeing Ice Cream suddenly stand and leave the table in a hurry. Arno frowned with concern as he watched the man disappear from the cafe in a flap of his white and tanned over coat.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Fourteen Coming Soon...
> 
> (Wings) Author's Note:  
> The entire Women's Rights speech was taken directly from an exchange between two NPCs in one of the cafe's in Assassin's Creed Unity (one of the very rare instances I shall be using actual AC Unity cannon). I thought it was so telling about the state of women's rights during the French Revolution that I needed to include it here and have Ice Cream, along side Arno, react to it. Just because the Revolution was abolishing the oppressive laws and instating newer free thinking ones, didn't mean that women's (or intersex individual's) rights were automatically included. Incidentally, this speech is also based on a real historical one written at the time of the French Revolution which I assume the creators of AC Unity used.


	14. Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité!

~

"Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité!"

"Viva la Revolution!"

Arno walked out of the cafe, turning his head to the left at the sudden shout, almost running into a group of women whom had gathered outside in the street from inside the cafe. They were screeching along with another woman, who was standing on a raised make shift wooden platform, banging a drum loudly. Arno blinked at the scene, seeing a few passerbys stop and take note of the commotion. Arno paused, trying to listen to the women, but what they were saying the twenty-one year old couldn't make out, so heated was the group's jumbled up yelling. The young ex-Templar continued to scan the surrounding area for a certain copper-haired man, but couldn't see Ice Cream anywhere. Arno ran round to the side of the cafe building and came to a jogging halt as he saw the very man down at the other end of the sad looking alleyway. Arno squinted in the restricted light of the narrow street and could just about make out Ice Cream chatting to that same woman who, only a moment ago, was passionately promoting woman's rights in the cafe. Arno began walking forwards but soon stopped as he saw Ice Cream nod, shake the woman's hand warmly and walk away, putting something like a paper pamphlet into a tanned coat pocket.

"Hey!" Arno shouted, making Ice Cream look up, wave and walk directly over to him. "What was that about?" the twenty-one year old asked, nodding to the back of the woman walking away.

"Long story...," Ice Cream said before he paused, sniffing the air, "...can you smell burning?"

Arno sniffed and got a very faint trace of, not only Vanilla from the man in front of him, but the scent of something that was most definitely smokey, "Oui, I can..."

Both Assassins pulled their hoods up and made for the source of the odor, turning and jogging down a couple of streets. It began to dawn on Arno as they ran that they were retracing their steps back to-

"The Tavern!" Ice Cream yelled, dashing forwards in a flap of long coat tails.

Arno ran after him, but the man was too fast and he disappeared from Arno's sight. The twenty-one year old felt his heart beat faster at Ice Cream's shouted words, pressing his feet harder into the ground, trying to speed up, avoiding carts and other people as his legs began to feel like they were on fire. He looked up through the street's narrow building passages and saw a large plum of smoke rising with the increasing sounds of people shouting and screaming. He turned right and ran straight into a crowd of men and women whom were not moving but shouting angrily in the direction of their tavern HQ. Arno looked up and saw the tavern. It was fine. No fire, no smoke. Nothing. He frowned from under his cowl. So where the hell was the menacing plum coming from? But as he looked to his right he saw his taller comrade standing near the edge of the crowd, still watching the smoke. The young man moved through the throng towards him.

"Where's that smoke coming from?" Arno called as the copper-haired Assassin looked back at him with a highly confused look on his face. But as Arno reached the man there was an almighty bang and both turned to see a store nearby explode into a ball of fire, the windows from the shop's ground floor suddenly bursting out, glass flying outwards as the now freed flames roared up into the air. The crowd jerked back afraid, the heat searing some of those that were too close. Arno made a face as the blast of heat hit his face.

"Merde...," Arno breathed, covering his mouth with a hand, trying to block out the acidic like stench, "What's going on?"

"I don't know," Ice Cream coughed into his hand, trying also to block out the smell of the pungent smoke as he too backed away from the flames.

"What shop is that?" Arno shouted, looking up at the burning structure, "It looks like the-"

"It's the Bakery!"

Both Ice Cream and Arno turned to see a coughing Green Coat behind them coming to a jogging halt, hand also over his mouth.

"Whats happening?" Ice Cream shouted above the noise, his voice muffled by his gloved hand.

"A food riot!" Green Coat yelled, "After you both left, people started gathering out side of the bakery demanding bread!"

"Is there anyone inside?" Arno shouted, withdrawing his hand, looking back at the shop front being devoured by the flames.

"We don't know...," Green Coat yelled but then his eyes saw something, making him nod to an event behind them.

Both Ice Cream and Arno turned to where the man was looking and saw the large form of Axe run out of one of the smoking bakery doors with a teenager on his back.

"Go!" Green Coat shouted, tapping Ice Cream on the arm as he, followed by the Lock Picker and Arno, ran towards their leader.

"Axe! François!" Ice Cream shouted, as all three men ran to them, shoving their way through the yelling crowd.

Axe didn't look up or slow down as he ran from the scene. It wasn't long before he found a quiet space in an adjoining alleyway, away from the heat and crowd. Axe came to a stop and gently lowered the crying and ashen faced teen from off his normally Axe glad back and onto the floor.

"You're alright, lad, you're alright," he soothed but the second the boy's feet hit the stone cobbled road, the teenager tried to bolt back towards the fire. Axe grabbed him and François turned, pounding his fists against his captor's shoulders and large arms, tears streaming down his face.

"No! No!" the teen screamed hysterically, trying to get past the large bearded man and back into the shop they had just escaped from. "My father! They took my father!"

François continued to fight against the burly Assassin, who was firmly holding his shoulders, trying to restrain flying arms. The boy suddenly stopped as he saw the tall Lock Picker appear. Axe let go and watched as the boy ran straight for the copper-haired Assassin. Ice Cream instinctively opened up his arms as the boy slammed into him, wrapping his arms tightly around the man's chest, sobbing into his tanned coat loudly as the Lock Picker wrapped his reassuring arms around the teen.

"My father, my father, they- they-!" the teenager's muffled cries continued, sobbing into Ice Cream's frame as the Assassin hugged him closer, trying to calm him down as the others watched with pained expressions.

Arno smiled sadly. It had been a joke amongst the Assassins that Ice Cream had become not unlike a big brother to François. Ever since the group had been living under the roof of Mirabeau's Tavern, Ice Cream had always treated the boy well. Not that the other Assassins hadn't, but on more than one occasion Ice Cream could be seen with the impressionable youngster not far behind. Arno had heard that the Lock Picker had caught the teen curiously looking at the tools he used and decided to teach the boy. Lock Picking, a bit of medicine and even Latin, which he surprisingly excelled in. The Lock Picker had even asked a slightly hesitant Green Coat to join in the impromptu lessons, who had then given a couple of demonstrations on Lock Smithing to the boy. Axe had allowed the make shift lessons, as education of the next generation was, interesting enough, something Axe was rather passionate about. Arno had not been that surprised at this, seeing as Axe himself was a father but...Green Coat hadn't argued with François or been cold towards him. If anything, he was ever so nervous at first, asking if Ice Cream could be present at the Lock Smithing lessons, but he quickly warmed to the boy and had taught François alone on occasion. He had not displayed _anything_ that resembled the attitude he had towards Arno. The ex-templar didn't give it much thought in general, but he had felt a twinge of envy towards the baker's son. How difficult was it to be on friendly terms with the green glad Assassin?

"Where is your father?" Ice Cream asked, continuing to try and sooth the trembling boy, stroking his short curly hair.

François's answer was only more crying.

"Oh God...," Green Coat said, swallowing and looking up.

Arno was about to ask a "what?" but before he opened up his mouth he saw Green Coat slowly point to something above their heads. The Assassins turned and saw something horrifically bone chilling hanging from the top of a tall dark lamp post behind them, the sounds of François's anguish echoing down the narrow street.

"Green...," Axe said hoarsely, turning away from the horrific sight, "Cut him down..."

Green Coat nodded, moving forwards and setting about the grim task.

"What the hell is going on?!" Arno breathed, but Axe shook his head, hefting his discarded weapon back onto his back with a heavy cough, eyes never leaving the Lock Picker and teen.

"You're in charge of 'im," Axe said to Ice Cream in between his spluttering, pointing to Francois, before nodding to the lamp post behind them and back to the sobbing teen, "Don't let him see..."

Arno watched as Ice Cream nodded silently, putting a soft hand to the teens head, beginning to usher the trembling boy away from the area. The crowd could still be heard shouting and balling at the flaming store as every now and again there was a snapping-crunch and a wooden beam from part of the building fell onto the cobbled street.

"You, with me," Axe said coughing to the twenty-one year old as he took off running down the alley way, past Green Coat dragging a lifeless body into a hay stack.

Arno turned his head back to where Axe was sprinting and ran after the man.

"What happened?" shouted Arno as he saw the large set man vault up a wooden and stone weaved wall with a loud grunt, scaling higher and higher upwards. Arno reached the same wall and like a shadow, copied Axe's ascent. When he reached the top, Arno saw their leader at the edge of the roof, staring at the angry crowd down below.

“What happened?” Arno repeated, as he took up a position too, observing the mob below, the shop still very much gutted and spewing out flames.

"A lynching boy,” Axe snarled with a chesty cough, as both men began to walk along the edge of the tiled roof, “a God damn lynching-"

"Why?" Arno shouted, curling his fingers around wooden beams and vaulting up towards the summit of this new roof top they had just landed on. When they reached the top of yet another building, Axe continued his pace, jumping over a few gaps in the roofs coughing every now and again, looking here and there quickly. Arno caught up to him and realized Axe was looking for something, or someone, down below.

"Arno," Axe growled looking highly agitated, walking back up a sloping tiled roof, "Yell if you see a man with a blue hat n' white feather."

“What-?”

**_“JUST DO AS I TELL YA!”_ **

Arno blinked, taken aback by the sudden and harsh command as he saw Axe run and jump onto a building across the way. The young man turned with a look but did as he was told and scanned the crowd below from his vantage point high above the Parisian streets. There were a lot of blue hats within the crowd, some with the white and red cockades, but none with a white feather on the top. He continued to watch as he felt Axe land on his roof again and pass him from behind.

"Why was the baker killed?" Arno asked, not taking his eyes of the task at hand, preparing himself for another shouting at.

" 'coz of soddin' rumors," Axe said coughing loudly and shoved a torn piece of burnt paper into Arno's chest as he passed.

Arno looked down and saw the blacked out edges of a newspaper, crisp and dissolving into dust as he held it, but could just about read a headline from the newspaper entitled _L'Ami du peuple_ as it flapped in the light wind:

_EVIDENCE OF BAKERS HORDING FLOUR!_

_Upon the confessions of a number of high powered officials, it has reached us at this good newspaper, that King Louis himself has ordered the price of flour to be increased. Those whom are not able to pay risk starvation. This is unacceptable! People of good France, take up arms and say, nay,_ _ demand _ _that this be rectified upon the hour! For our sloth King consumes in an orgy of food not two days ago a banquet of sins, which is to say nothing of the actions of a certain guard, stomping on the symbol of our struggles to the great laughter of his Majesty. The wish to march in great numbers upon the King's very house at Versailles was thwarted this August past, but now is the perfect time to-_

"They thought he was hording flour?" Arno asked, gazing up from the pathetic looking piece of paper in his hands, turning and handing it back to its owner.

"Aye, and it's a load of toss," Axe said and shoved it, none to gently, back into his pocket, "Francois's father was a kind man, Mirabeau knew him for years,” Axe continued, looking over the edge quickly before walking back to Arno, pointing a finger at the boy. “When 'e said to us the other day that their ain't no bread, it was the truth. I even went with Mirabeau to the bakery to see if we could help and the stores were empty save for a few rats.”

Arno watched as the man put his hands on his hips, sighing loudly, looking out into the crowd below.

“The boy's father even asked us to instate his son permanently at the tavern, things are so bad with the family business...what the...?"

Arno watched as the man paused, his voice trailing off before he suddenly left the edge of the roof and climbed up on an incredibly strong and terracotta colored chimney pot.

"Shite, I thought I told that bastard to leave the area!" Axe snarled, making himself splutter into a fit of coughs before he jumped off the building's guttering onto a lower balcony with a thump of breaking tiles.

Arno ran to the edge to see Axe swinging his way down. Arno turned and jumped up to the same terracotta vantage point that Axe had just been on, casting his eyes outwards to the distance and saw a sight that turned his stomach to lead. He immediately jumped down and ran across the roofs, watching Axe barreling down the alley way, both sprinting in the same direction.

~

"He's my son!" Ice Cream shouted at the angry crowd whom were inching dangerously closer and closer to him, as the Assassin shielded a frightened teen behind his back. Green Coat had his flint lock pistol out and was standing in front of his lover, pointing the weapon at the crowd who were moving closer to them.

Green Coat scanned the area for any guards but seeing as a great deal of people were at the other end of the street, trying to stop the flames from reaching nearby buildings, he mentally concluded that this mob was their only threat. The three of them could run, he quickly thought, but they were grossly outnumbered. Green Coat felt his back hit the front of Ice Cream's chest and he threw his eyes to the side. They were literally cornered. Wooden crates were stacked up side by side on both sides of the street and behind them too, stopping their escape down the rest of the street. The mob had corralled them into a barricade. Green Coat's eyes darted around, his Assassin training coming to him swiftly. Green Coat cast his eyes back to Ice Cream and François. They could try and volt over the barricade but the boy wouldn't be able too, he was too paralyzed with fear. He lent back further into Ice Cream. The man could carry the boy, while he had the flint lock pistol. But no that wouldn't work-

Green Coat suddenly fired his gun up into the air, making the mob shriek and cower backwards. "STAY BACK!" he shouted, turning his attention back to the baying mob, swinging his flint lock from side to side at anyone who got too close. Green Coat did a mental check and he wasn't carrying any smoke bombs. He cast a glace at Ice Cream's waist and saw the Lock Picker wasn't wearing his usual supply pouches. The man wasn't even wearing his gun holsters. Damn, they could have really used some extra fire power right about now, why the hell did he go out without them?

"He was in on it!" a rough looking man with a pitch fork to his left abruptly shouted, pointing at the teenager in Ice Cream's arms, "He's the baker's son!"-

"You fool, he is MY son!" Green Coat heard his partner lie from behind him. Alright, he'd go with that. Green Coat pointed his pistol at the angry man while thanking the heavens that François did indeed look like he could be his lover's child.

"Are you the baker?!" another voice screeched from somewhere in the throng.

"No!” Green Coat heard Ice Cream shout from over his shoulder. “But if I was then you've just hung the wrong man!" the Assassin shouted before an unarmed man off to the corner, pushed his way through to the front of the crowd. Green Coat moved his arm to point his gun at the man, but stopped at the shout from Ice Cream.

"Christophe!" Ice Cream yelled as the scrawny looking but good natured man turned his back to the Assassins, putting himself between the two groups, ignoring Green Coat's gun next to him and began to shout at the mob, arms out stretched.

"This man,” Christophe shouted, throwing his hands back to Ice Cream. “He ain't no baker!" the stall seller continued to yell into the crowd, trying to calm the situation. "This is Frank; him and his wife are Lock Smiths, leave him be!-"

"I ain't seen no Lock Smith that dresses like that!" another man off to the right shouted, pointing to the Assassin's cowls and jackets. The crowd all began shouting that they were lying, beginning to move forwards threateningly, home made weapons thrust towards the small group, until out of no where a large iron cast drum was suddenly hurled from above their heads and crashed down into the crowd, making them all scatter away from it.

_**"SHUT YA BLEEDIN' GOBS!"** _

The crowd, along with the Assassins, Christophe and François all turned and looked up, off to the side at where the roar and drum missile had come from. The three men looked up and saw a large imposing figure at the top of a nearby roof with a female figure next to it.

"What evidence do you have that the baker was hordin' ?!" Mirabeau shouted down from his position on top of the tavern's roof at the now quieter crowd, his nostrils flaring.

"There's flour in the basement!" one woman screamed up at him, her angry and desperate face snarling.

"So, did you find any when you ransacked the bakery?!" the woman at Mirabeau's side shouted at her.

"It's her...," Green Coat heard Ice Cream whisper from behind him, making the young Assassin blink and scowl, confused. Ice Cream knew her? Who was she?

There was near enough silence from the mob.

"That's right...COS THERE AIN'T NONE!" Mirabeau bellowed, "You've all just killed an innocent man!"

Green Coat heard a sob next to him and looked behind him again to see a scared and frightened François shaking violently in Ice Cream's arms. The Lock Smith worried his brow as Ice Cream tried to sooth the baker's son. Poor sod, the boy would never be the same again...He suddenly felt the air move next to him and Green Coat turned to see Arno and Axe appear.

"Come on, let's get out of here while Gab's got their attention," Axe said, taking the helpless boy from Ice Cream's arms and carrying him in his own, bridal style. Arno and the other three carefully and quickly picked their way around the side of the mob before their leader broke into a sprint and all three ran after Axe, out of sight of the throng. Arno turned to look back and thought he recognized the woman. She looked like the Cafe Lady who Ice Cream had been talking to in the alley way...

~

It was nightfall by the time the four men and kitchen boy dared to try and return to the tavern. Green Coat had gone on ahead to make sure the place was safe, establishing contact with a seething Mirabeau who confirmed the street was alright to return back too. After the fire, the Assassins had met up with Christophe again, seeking to purchase some ointment for the teenager's burns and smoke inhalation. Axe bought a large bottle himself, becoming sick and tired of coughing and having his chest hurting from breathing in too much smoke. After a secluded rest on the roof top of an undisclosed church, the men were now inside the main room of the tavern. Mirabeau had cleverly boarded up the windows of the tavern's front windows, for too many peeking and curious eyes from the nearby neighborhoods had gathered to see the ruins of the bakery, including having a snoop around the outside of nearby buildings; the tavern included.

"You lot have got to leave," Axe's brother in law said with a heavy heart looking at the Assassins around him, "I wish it weren't so but... _he_ was here, Axe. He knows _you're_ here."

"Aye..." Axe said thoughtfully, scratching his beard, deep lines of concern upon his brow. "This place has already had enough strife..."

Arno frowned, looking away. _He_ was here? Who? A Templar? Arno chewed the inside of his lip, deep in thought. That man that Axe had asked him, no _yelled_ , at him to look for when they were on top of the roofs...a man with a blue hat and white feather...was that the man Mirabeau was referring too?

Arno was silent, sitting next to Green Coat on his left, both watching the exchange. Ice Cream was absent from the main table, sitting within ear-shot a few tables back on a large suite, trying to comfort François who had fallen asleep, his head resting on the man's lap. Arno looked and saw the sleeping boy's face was sullen and pale, like he had been to hell and back. He didn't blame him, no son deserved to see their father die, even more so in that vile and unjust manner. Ice Cream caught Arno's eye and smiled sadly. The copper-haired man had obeyed Axe's command and taken on François's care, the teen not wanting to leave the group or go back to his mother for they had heard she was at her sister's mourning the loss of her husband.

“Not to worry Gab', we're be out of here at first light,” Axe said with a cough, making Arno turn his attention back to the table. The man had been coughing non stop since the fire but, seeing as he had breathed a great deal of toxic smoke, Arno didn't blame him. The ex-templar didn't miss the bottle of ointment for smoke inhalation sitting on the table next to Axe.

"What about the mission?" Green Coat asked quietly, "You asked us to gather this morning but I assume it is canceled in light of today's events?"

"Not canceled. Postponed," Axe said flatly, "We'll rest tonight and have a meeting at the crack 'o dawn before we set off, but for now," Axe said looking around at the other men, "Gather your things. Not a trace of us ever having been here is left, understood?"

The others nodded quietly as the meeting came to a close.

~

Arno woke up with a start. His stomach growled loudly in the silence. Shit, he should have eaten something..but then, come to think of it...he couldn't remember the last time he actually ate properly. It was true, bread was becoming increasingly difficult to buy. There were people selling but the prices were utterly ridiculous. An entire month's salary to buy one loaf of bread? Axe had told them that bread was now off the menu as, even though the group had enough cash between all four of them, it was not to be spent on those sorts of prices. There was other food, their leader had said firmly, they wouldn't starve.

Arno got up and began moving around his shared room as silently as he could. As far as he could tell neither Axe or Green Coat chose to sleep in this room tonight. Which didn't bother Arno, he quite liked the solitude for once. He felt around in the darkness for his bag, knowing he must have stashed an apple or some dried nuts in his travel pack, when he suddenly felt a presence behind him. Arno tensed his wrists, his hidden blades never leaving him since the events of earlier that day. Sods law some person from the crowd or this mysterious blue hat and feather man showed up. Arno breathed deeply before he looked behind him and saw, with a start, Green Coat. Arno stared as he slowly stood up from his crouching, standing face to face with the man. The tension that constantly seemed to be surrounding them had not disappeared. Since Green Coat and Ice Cream had been on speaking terms, Arno had noticed that the man did have a lighter air about him. But Arno could still tell he was weary of him. Why? If he didn't know any better, he would think that Green Coat was scared of him...

Arno watched as the green clad man, now only wearing a lose white sleeping shirt and dark trousers opened up his mouth, looking away before shutting it and leaned over, putting something silvery onto Arno's bedside table. The ex-templar watched, suspicion not far from his mind as he watched the man leaving without a word and shut the oaken door gently.

Arno blinked.

_What was that?-_

The smell hit his stomach before it registered in his brain.

Food.

Cooked food.

Arno fumbled with a match as he turned, lit the nearby lamp and looked back down at what was placed onto the bedside table. It was a silver plate of cooked meat, a few potatoes and a small bowl of broth were on offer. A wooden spoon was dipped into the steaming and thick liquid making Arno's mouth water instantly. Arno looked back at the door. Why would the sour man bring him food? Was he ordered too? But it was late, surely Axe and Ice Cream were asleep? Wait...was...was this Green Coat's... peace offering? The man hadn't said anything though...but maybe, if it was indeed such a gift...maybe this was the only way he could say it? Then it hit Arno what the message was. He saw the silver plate was the very same one he had given to the man when he was sick.

“What a strange fellow...” Arno muttered with a warm and confused smile on his face as he sat on his bed and tucked into the meal. The cooked meat tasted like heaven especially and the broth hit all the right spots. When he had finished Arno looked at the now empty platter, his mind once again going to the fellow twenty one year old. He looked not as haggard as he usually did. The dark bags under his eyes were reduced and his posture, although still demurred, seemed lighter than before. Then it hit him. Ice Cream was on speaking terms with the man again. They were lovers after all. In spite of the very unwelcome images and sounds of those two making love, Arno was glad that they were back to normal again. Even if that meant they were probably going to copulate again-

Arno made a face as the meal he ate threatened to come back up into his throat in the company of bile. Arno swallowed, forcing his stomach to calm and crawled back into bed. But just as fast as he had settled and closed his eye lids then he awoke to see the upside down bulk of Green Coat prodding him in the arm to get up. The young men gathered up their things in silence and both left their shared room. Arno looked back at the room. Green Coat must have been sleeping with Ice Cream last night as he was the sole occupier of that room. The man was already fully dressed in his Assassin attire...so where had Axe slept?

The two men walked down stairs to see Ice Cream sitting at a large circular table along side Axe and Mirabeau. François was with them also, sitting close to Ice Cream, red rings under his eyes as he slowly tried to eat some runny looking porridge.

"Morning, lads," Axe called, yawning, "over here."

Arno and Green Coat walked over, squinting in the candle light. The ex-templar looked up as he took his seat and could have sworn it was still midnight, the stars were shining and outside through the cracks in the wooden paneled up windows. Arno didn't think as he opened up his mouth to the man sitting next to him.

"What time is it?"

"4:30am," Green Coat answered with a small and very awkward smile.

It was only after the man had replied that Arno realized he had been friendly. Arno blinked. Green Coat was being friendly? Well that was a pleasant first! It was then the young man remembered the food the other had offered him. Arno coughed slightly as he opened up his mouth.

"...Thank you-"

"Axe, did you sleep at all?" Green Coat said with a frown and drowning out Arno's thanks.

Axe didn't reply as he yawned once more, coughed and opened up a familiar large brown and leather ledger that was lying on the table.

"Right, you know the drill men. Those present?"

"Ice Cream."

"Green Coat."

"Arno Dorian."

"Axe."

" The Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau, owner and proprietor of this here tavern, and a writer for the honorable people of Good France."

Axe stopped his scribbling in the ledger and gave Mirabeau a very long look.

"What are you givin' me that evil eye for; it's me name!"

Arno tried not to laugh as he saw Axe shake his head and write the entire name down, mumbling that "Gabriel" would have been damn well quicker to write. When he had finished, the bearded Assassin looked up, the sole candle light flickering their shadows around them.

"Right, first things first," Axe said looking at Ice Cream who nodded and looked at François, the boy having given up on his meal, blinking sadly.

"François...," Ice Cream said softly, "I'm afraid we have to leave-"

"No!" the boy shouted, eyes wide in fright. "I'm coming with you!"

"Francois," Ice Cream said again gently, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You need to stay here and look after your mother...she needs you."

"B-but...," the terrified looking boy stuttered, looking around for help at the other men, "but the people here, they will kill us!"

"No they won't, not so long as you're under this roof, young man," Mirabeau said firmly, "Your mother has already agreed to it, and she will be 'ere later today."

"Once we have completed our task then your mother and yourself can join us."

Arno frowned at Ice Cream.

"...we can?" Francois said hopefully, a small smile of hope forming.

"Oui, I promise," Ice Cream smiled.

"...How...but how do I know you're coming back?" the teen asked, eyes wide, threatening to give way to tears.

Ice Cream paused chewing his lip and looked at the other men, until his eyes settled on his own upper arm. He then began to delicately unwind the blue cloth that he always wore. When it was finally free, Ice Cream handed it to the confused boy.

"I want that back," Ice Cream smirked, cocking a dark copper eyebrow. "If I find a tear in it, there will be hell to pay-"

"Aye, a terrible temper our Ice Cream has," Axe said laughing.

François gazed at the cloth, reveling it in his hands, ignoring the half-smile from Green Coat, as he suddenly reached out and hugged the copper-haired man tightly around the neck with many "Merci! Merci!" as Ice Cream's eye's flew open at the contact. His caught the eye of a now broad smiling Green Coat and smiled back, before he saw Axe nod a "give him a hug back", so Ice Cream happily obliged. He hugged the teen close and with a few pats on his back, he let François go.

"Now get out a 'ere," Axe said warmly as the boy nodded and left the table, wrapping the blue ribbon around his own arm as he made his way up the stairs.

"...Are you sure you don't have a love child anywhere, Ice Cream?" Arno chuckled when the teen was out of sight making the entire table chuckle. It was bizarre how much the teen look like Ice Cream, even his eyes were bright blue.

"No, I don't Arno, but if I did... I'd wish it was François," he smiled.

~

Arno opened up his course linen bag, double checking. The group had just finished their mission briefing and, after shooing a certain over curious François from eaves dropping on them from the staircase, had agreed on the next course of action. They were to join a group of women in a few hours and help escort them to the Palace of Versailles. Ice Cream had intelligence, courtesy of the lady-at-the-cafe, that there was to be a rally again today protesting the Rights of Women. Yesterday's gathering outside of the Cafe was more of a spur of the moment thing, Arno had heard Ice Cream say. But as it turned out, Mirabeau had heard of these proposed new female laws a while back. "They came to this 'ere tavern and handed me their bill o' rights," Mirabeau had said. He then went on to say proudly that he had even printed their mandate in his newspaper, which had the knock on effect of encouraging more women to join the cause these past few days. Mirabeau, as it turned out, was talking to the cafe lady when the fire broke out and instead of going ahead with their planned meeting, had both seen the horror that had taken place and distracted the sudden mob of men and women away from their friends. Green Coat had voiced his concern that today's mob could be the same vile individuals who caused so much pain to François, and if they wanted to join the female march there would be chaos. But Mirabeau had assured them that the women he was in contact with were not part of that throng.

"One was for hunger, the other were for Women's Rights," Mirabeau had said, "But be on your guard, expect both groups to merge tomorrow, for the women will need feedin' too."

As to who started the fire in the bakery, it was universally agreed that a member of the mob must have been the culprit, so angry they had been at the lack of bread and so few evidence was there, at the moment, of Templar involvement. Axe and Green Coat had gone to find out where François was, as he didn't return with a pale of milk that had been ordered a few hours before hand. On the way to the bakery they had see hordes of men and women banging on the door of the bakery demanding food, and heard the boy inside screaming there was a fire. Axe had shoved Green Coat back down the alley way to keep the increasing gathering of people back as he himself had dived into the smoking building to rescue François. Green Coat had kept the group back but they had overwhelmed a lone man, making him try and hunt down Ice Cream and Arno. Axe didn't blame him, for starving men and women, their large leader had said, were dangerous and unpredictable beasts.

They were all now double checking their own equipment, each taking it in turns to keep an eye out for the Cafe Lady who was to be the head of the march. Upon her arrival the Mission was to begin. With regards to their personal belongings, Mirabeau had said would look after the clothes bags and one of them could come back and collect them when the march was over.

Arno watched as Ice Cream tied a small and tightly rolled up piece of paper to a pigeon's leg that was upside down in Green Coat's hands, the bird's grey head bobbing around, confused as to what this thing was being tied to it's leg. When the man had finished, Green Coat had gone up into the roof and let the bird go. What was in the message, Arno didn't know but was sure to bet it had something to do with the immediate march. Not only was this a mission, but the moment they left the tavern then they were to become homeless again. Just where they were going to sleep this coming evening, he had no idea, but tactfully didn't bring the subject up, as none of the others had. Perhaps Axe had a plan...?

Arno grunted as he tied his bag tight once again and looked around the main tavern. Axe was off to the side, leaning back on a chair, one broad boot braced against a wooden table, looking between the slits in the wooden panels. Ice Cream was nearby reading a pamphlet between sitting quietly, looking like he was mentally preparing for the task ahead. The ex-templar hid a smile under his cowl as he heard Green Coat call the copper-haired Assassin over to a secluded part of the tavern. Arno watched from the corner of his eyes as the two Assassins walked over to the storage room, the candles around them flickering in their wake, as they entered and shut the door with a gentle 'click'. He would have turned away from the door but as Ice Cream had entered he saw a piece of tanned paper fall from his coat.

Arno raised an eyebrow and walked over to it as his curiosity got the better of him. As he reached down Arno was grateful he couldn't hear any sounds coming from the storage room off to his right. Arno wasn't sure what Green Coat and Ice Cream were doing in there but he didn't want to get a second dead leg in finding out.

 Arno walked back to his own seat, Axe not moving from his position in keeping a look out. The ex-templar sat down and looked at the piece of paper. It was a page from a newspaper but had been ripped out none too carefully. He looked at it and couldn't really understand why Ice Cream would have a paper advert for new types of horse shoes. Drawing a blank, Arno went to fold the paper back up when something on the reverse side caught his attention.

_THE DECLARATION OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS._

_"The National Assembly, wishing to reform the greatest and most universal of abuses, and to repair the wrongs of a six-thousand-year long injustice, has decreed and decrees as follows:_

  1. _Abolishment of male privilege throughout France._

  2. _Equal liberty, advantages, rights, and honors between the sexes._

  3. _Equal nobleness between the genders and sexes including grammatically._

  4. _The end of clauses stating "the wife is authorized by her husband" because there should be equality within the household._

  5. _Right for all to wear breeches,_

  6. _End of degrading soldiers by having them wear women's clothing and instead be punished by declaring his gender neuter._

  7. _Admittance of the feminine sex to the district and departmental assemblies._

  8. _Appointment of the feminine sex as Magistrates._

  9. _The same applies to all positions, compensations, and military dignities._

  10. _Entrance of the feminine sex into the sanctuary._




"Oh, you found it!" Ice Cream said walking over to him, hand out expectantly, making Arno jump. Damn, how long had he been reading? Arno looked up and saw the man's face was flushed crimson, hair slightly more tussled than usual. He quickly looked at Ice Cream's coat, fearing the worst type of evidence of what the two Assassins were doing in the storage room, but his tanned and white coat didn't seem disheveled at all. Arno quickly looked at Green Coat who was walking back over to Axe. His coat didn't seem messed up either...

Arno gave the paper back to the man and stood up, nodding at how impressed with the Women's Declaration of Rights he was. He had heard there was already a Declaration of Rights that was being pushed through and lobbied, which was apparently based on a similar deceleration from the American Revolution that was currently being fought in North America. This revolution was indeed revolutionary, he mused as he heard a faint drum being played and the distinctive sounds of church bells tolling out the very early hour.

"That's very impressive," Arno said to Ice Cream as both men notice Axe jerk up and press his face to the slats before standing and jogging to the door with a, "She's 'ere..."

"It is, isn't it?" Ice Cream smiled back to Arno, carefully folding the piece of torn paper up and slotting it into a breast pocket, "I got it from that young lady we saw on the podium in the cafe, it's a print from Mirabeau's paper."

"Ah, that's what you were doing in the alley way?" Arno asked, making Ice Cream nod in confirmation. "Well, I hope they get their wish and gain the same rights as us male members of society," Arno said as Ice Cream coughed slightly and smiled. Both Assassins then turned and saw the door open with a loud creak with that very same lady standing in the entrance. Now he saw her again, Arno would say she looked the same age as himself, a dark blue shawl wrapped around her shoulders, a red, blue and white cockade pinned to her chest and a drum strapped to her middle. Her eyes were green and sparkled with power, but she could tell she was nervous of meeting a group of highly skilled individuals.

"Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité", she said, bowing to the group, before standing up with a determined look on her face.

The men respectfully bowed back, " et Viva la Revolution," Axe said proudly, to the nods of everyone present.

"Right," the bearded Assassin continued, hefting his Axe onto his back, turning to the other Assassins with a smirk, "let's go storm us a Palace."

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> I took some author's story-license on the order in which the hanging of François The Baker and The Woman's March on Versailles happened. Historically, these two events happened at opposite ends of October 1789.
> 
> The text for The Declaration of Women's Rights is a borrowed copy/paste of the one found on Wikipedia; as it's the most coherent version at time of writing.


	15. Drink to the Storm

~

“PLEASE SOMEBODY HELP ME!”

Arno hung off the side of the building as he scanned the area from under his navy cowl for the other Assassins. He gripped the edge of the roof, his gloved fingers finding purchase on solid iron. That was until he heard that scream. Automatically he pushed off from the wall, catching the other side before he jumped again into an open window where the cry had come from. His blood boiled as Arno saw two guards about to attack a hapless woman, who was cowering over the body of what must be her husband. Instinctively Arno rolled as he landed, before engaging his two hidden blades and drove them deep into the guard's necks. Not stopping to talk he vaulted out the other open window and landed in the street below. He saw the crowd over to his left, and made for them. When he arrived, Arno hoisted himself up the side of a barricade, made up of an upturned carriage, barrels and such, and climbed the wooden structure with a grunt.

“It's time for the Marquis to pay!” a woman on an adjoining and large makeshift structure shouted to the loud agreement from the crowd below. Arno looked around and saw the entrance to the main courtyard of Versailles straight ahead. Between him and it was a hive of hundreds of people, all shouting and bellowing angrily towards the entrance. Arno concentrated on the view ahead and where he had been ordered to go. The stone archway was blocked by guards, whom were doing their best at keeping the baying mob behind lines. Arno smirked, this would be easy. He confidently jumped down but regretted it immediately. A guard off to his right jumped back startled as Arno landed, dust from the ground shot into the air as his boots hit the dirt. The two locked eyes and Arno's wrist snapped back to engage one of his hidden blades. He just about got it out when a larger hooded figure pounced on top of the guard, silencing him forever. Axe looked up from his position over the now dead man and motioned to Arno to keep moving. Arno swore under his breath. That was twice now the man had saved his life! But thanks will be had later; they had a palace to storm.

Upon leaving the tavern, the Assassins had followed the "Cafe Lady", for her true name was never mentioned to him, to where a large group of women where. When they saw the four men, they cheered and nearly swamped them, shouting and hollering that it was grand to have men championing their cause. Arno had seen Green Coat timidly hide behind Ice Cream, partly shielding himself the moment the women ran to them. Arno smirked as he continued to made his way through the court yard mob. It was rather hilarious how momentarily frightened the green clothed man had been. They were only women! For the next five hours the group had walked, gathering more and more people as it went, both men and women from their starting point in the middle of Paris to Versailles. The group of Assassins kept to a two man team; Axe and Arno at the front of the throng with Ice Cream and Green Coat at the rear. Every now and again, when the growing crowd would stop and overwhelm some rich person's store houses looking for food, the men met up again to update each other on the crowds mood at both ends of it. It wasn't long before the crowd and Assassins had reached the Palace of Versailles. Arno had stopped, momentarily to admire the building. It was impossibly huge! True he had lived in the same area as the palace, but had never once gone inside. However, all that was about to change as the Assassins had then met up when the crowd finally reached the gate, spoken quickly and split up, once again into their familiar two man teams.

Arno frowned as he watched the nervous guards. Even though Axe had given them their mission briefing, just _who_ they were after, if anyone, was a mystery. Axe had told them all that there was a certain someone that they were to capture. When Arno had asked for more information, the man had said he couldn't say anymore. Couldn't say anymore?! If they were going to hunt down a Templar, surely a name would be helpful? A physical description at least?  If not, then he was going in blind, but after noticing the curious body language of the other two men, Arno had relented. Axe must have his reasons why...?

Arno snapped his mind back to the task at hand and looked from underneath his cowl at the very same bulky man. He watched as his leader went to the right and towards the front of the mob. Arno moved straight towards the shouting and panicked guards, after receiving his cue.

“Stay back!," one of the guards yelled, “Move and I'll shoot!”

“Oi, you!” the second guard shouted at Axe, “Get back from here!”

Arno watched as Axe began to distract the guards off to his right. He looked over and made a calculated risk. He dashed past the first rim of guards and kicked the legs out from under the left one. His target spun and in the momentum he drove a hidden blade into a neck. He heard Axe do the same next to him.

Then it began.

The crowd let out a unanimous cry and surged forwards and Arno just about managed to get out of the way of the wave of people without being crushed. Axe ran with the torrent and Arno shook himself mentally and joined in the sprint. He ran left, shoulders butting against anonymous men and women before he saw his opening and removed himself from the thrall of angry peasants as he saw the other man vaulting up a wall of the inner court yard. Arno scaled the cold stone wall and heaved himself into an open window and saw Ice Cream on the other side waiting for him. The Lock Picker, who was crouched in the middle of the corridor, made the signal to stop as two guards came into the passageway. Axe lept from his hiding spot behind a pillar. Green Coat also appeared like magic out of the left hand side of Arno's vision to neutralize the remaining targets. Once the corridor was safe, they moved together, however Arno moved faster. He went past them, missing the heavy scowl of disapproval from Green Coat as he did.

“I said keep those dogs out of the court yard!”

Arno moved carefully towards the source of the voice in the now more open corridor, stopping to hide behind a white statue. He watched as the ridiculous looking Marquis leaned into the face of his top guard.

“Take care of this or I shall use your head as a piss pot!,” the powdered and posh man warned.

“How charming...,” Arno muttered under his breath as he watched the Marquis storm off into a side door. The head guard barked orders at the others as Arno watched.

“You! Men! Secure the front gates!”

“Aye Captain!”

“First one that brings me a head gets fifty sou, your heard me, now move!”

Arno watched as the head guard finished barking his orders and the twenty-one year old quickly left his hiding spot and joined up with the others as they crouched and made their way deeper into the building. Green Coat and Ice Cream ran forwards and Arno and Axe turned right into a large side room. They stopped by a door as a guard came past, turning to admire a court lady walking past, her large over sized dress billowing in her wake. Axe nodded to Arno, who lept, elbowing his target in the back, before slashing his neck. Arno brought the body into the room as Axe moved forwards.

Arno followed the man round a corner and saw a door off to the side, which curiously had a white feather glued to the top of it, on top of the frame.

“Yes...,” Axe mouthed as Arno followed the man's stare and saw the same locked door.

Arno made a decision and went straight for it.

“Lad-!” Axe growled a half whisper, but it was too late.

“OI!,” two guards at the other end of the corridor shouted as Arno appeared, freezing on the spot.

Axe swore and ran forwards, blowing his cover to drive his two hidden blades into the neck of the two. He stood up and gave Arno a look of exasperation mingled with a very pissed off gesture. Arno was about to reply but saw with horror a guard come out from a side door, behind Axe. Arno pulled back his sleeve and engaged the phantom blade, hitting the man square in the chest. Axe spun and saw the man crumble before he turned back to Arno and tiled his head sideways, pointing at the contraption on the young man's arm.

"You're welcome and later...,” Arno mouthed at Axe, pointing a finger, as they both jumped out and onto grey flag poles outside the double open windows. Both men watched as the mob appeared below them and began to swamp the gardens engulfing the out numbered and shouting guards.

“Get the horses!” came the cry from the officials but whether or not they got them Arno would never know. He jumped up the rest of the stone building, stopping short of a window when he heard female voices of “Oh goodness, what is going on?” and “I have no idea!” Arno dearly wished he could see them in all their finery, but maybe another time. He waited for them to turn away from the window before he continued his silent climb upwards. A window suddenly opened with a creak above him and a Green Coated and brown leather-ed hand was offered to him. Arno took it, jumping into the corridor, Axe following suit.

“Time,” Ice Cream signaled and the Assassins quickly jogged through another corridor and upon entering the upper floors of the banquet hall, split up.

Arno walked to the edge of the inner balcony. He squinted briefly at the amount of gold light hitting his face, making him temporary blind. The entire room up and down was a brilliant shade of gold and marble. He jumped up on the dark yellow plated railing and waited in a squatting position. He flicked his eyes over to the sides and watched the other three Assassins take up their positions around the eves of the spectacularly set up banquet hall. Their plan up until now had been going along like clock work. But now... Arno watched the fancy party guests mingling below, unaware that four hooded men were hiding above them. Arno scrutinized the congregation again. Fat and with frilly dresses. The site made him sick to the stomach. Arno looked around the rest of the room and saw that the amount of food here could feed the mob outside for an entire week. He made a mental note to grab some of the nosh after this was done, his stomach agreeing with him.

“Ladies and Gentlemen!” called a rather posh woman at the front, near one of the large ornate windows. “Our illustrious host, the Marquis, wishes to assure you that the _rabble_ outside can cause us no harm-"

Arno's eyes went wide as there was a crash and out of seemingly no where a brick from outside smashed into the ornate window with a sickening thud and hit the woman clean in the head. She buckled just as Axe lept down, the other Assassins following.

The room exploded into chaos.

Arno jumped onto a guard directly below, downing him. He had just enough time to recover from the fall before a heavily armored guard made for him. He dodged from side to side, his body repeating the training he and Axe had done, until his back foot hit the leg of his last victim and Arno staggered. The guard took his chance and slashed. Arno cried out as his chest was hit. Either from shock or pain, he didn't know, but adrenaline pumped through his body as he let anger take over. His body surged forwards and he cut towards the guard, but the guard elbowed him in the chest and slashed again. Arno felt the sword whistle past his nose before he miraculously dodged it, ducked and dived forwards, finally seeing an opening and driving his hidden blade into his enemies chest. It hit its mark and his attacker went down. Arno paused for a moment, taking stock. He looked down and saw the guard had ripped through his blue over coat and white shirted undergarment, but had mercifully not touched skin. The twenty-one year old looked up to see Axe slamming down his heavy weapon, finishing off the last guard, as people scattered away from the room, screaming. Ice Cream, blood across half of his face, walked over with a slightly blood speckled Green Coat, making towards their target. Arno joined, all four of them advancing, hoping that Ice Cream wasn't too badly hurt.

“GET BACK HERE YOU COWARDS!” the pompous man shouted as the last two remaining guards threw their weapons down and ran.

Arno moved with the three men towards the wormy looking man. Was this the man Axe, and thus they, were after?

“No, please,” the man tried to reason, pulling at a locked door behind him, the Assassins cornering him, “They're only peasants!”

“Only peasants?” Axe growled.

Arno watched with awe as the Assassin he always saw not unlike a bear let rip his full anger. The Bear grabbed the shocked Marquis by the white ruffles of his neck. “Say that to their faces,” the bearded Assassin breathed into the man's face before he nodded to Green Coat. The two of them each took an arm and together they hurled the Marquis out and over the Banquet Hall's balcony, into the court yard below. They heard the man yell as he fell and the crowd cheering. What they were doing to him down there, the four men didn't know, but it was justice one way or the other.

There was a moment of silence in the banquette hall as the four exhausted Assassins looked around them.

“What a bloody waste...” Axe said, his boots making crunching sounds on the shattered glass, casting his gaze around the room. Arno wasn't sure if he meant the bodies of the party goers or the scattered and spilt food. “Let's get the hell out of 'ere,” Axe continued as he stormed out of the room, glass and porcelain shards crunching loudly under his heavy boots. Green Coat yanked a couple of table napkins from off the tables and stuffed them into his belt before he followed, indicating to Ice Cream. The Lock Picker followed him, grabbing a couple of food items, also stuffing them into his jacket and joined the younger man exiting the main hall.

Arno stood rooted to the spot, somewhat shell shocked. He reached up and touched the bridge of his noise, wincing. From the feel of it, the guard had indeed given him a new scar. He'd check later if it was to be a permanent one, as he jumped forwards, seeing a couple of bread baguettes. He grabbed them and stuffed them into his coat. All this food was going to go to waste, surely they had time to take some with them?

“Axe the food-!”

“Leave it,” he heard the man's faint voice call to him.

Arno jogged into the side room and ran, catching up to the other Assassins as they all lept out of a window into the fresh air, landing on the ornate plants below them. They all then quickly dashed into the palace gardens, Axe at the front leading them into a collection of dense trees that looked not unlike a forest. The four men ducked and dived under plant life and after a moment of jogging, the leader slowed down and put both hands on his hips turning around.

Arno watched as they all breathed deeply, trying to catch their breaths, silence surrounding them, the faint hum of the crowd back inside the palace barley audible. Green Coat moved over to Ice Cream and began to tend to the man's facial wound. Arno heard the young man sigh in relief as it turned out Ice Cream's wound was only a superficial injury, it would heal in a couple of weeks the Lock Picker reckoned.

"The bastard wasn't there..." he heard Axe suddenly say breathlessly before the huge man spied a rotten log on the ground. "The bastard wasn't THERE!" Axe roared loudly as his thick boot hit the log, smashing it into a cloud of tiny splinters. Arno jerked back, quickly turning his head away as the shower rained up on them.

"Axe, calm down-" Ice Cream panted, before a large finger was pointed directly into his face.

"Don't you soddin' start, don't you _realize_ 'o we're after?!-"

"Men-," Arno said, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

"I _beg_ your pardon?" Ice Cream frowned, a faint snarl ghosting his lips.

"You 'eard me or are ya' deaf as well as dumb?" Axe shouted, pointing to the evidence of the blood trail on the Lock Picker's face.

"Axe!" Green Coat shouted angrily, moving his body and putting himself in between the Lock Picker and their heavily set leader. Arno watched as Ice Cream gently but still with a sharp shove to the chest, pushed Green Coat out and away from himself and Axe. Arno caught the other twenty-one year old's eye as he was shoved away, shock written all over his face before the ex-templar looked back.

"MEN!" Arno shouted louder, disturbed by the sudden aggression from both Axe and Ice Cream, but he was drowned out by the Lock Picker's indignant shout.

"How dare you talk to me with such disrespect!-"

**_"CHILDREN!"_ **

The gang was suddenly silent as it turned to a heavily breathing Arno.

The ex-templar stood wide eyed, both arms and hands up and out. Right, now that he had their attention...what the hell was going on? Axe had never lost his temper before with the Lock Picker and Ice Cream looked like he was on the verge of doing so. Arno looked to his right and saw Green Coat looked taken aback too and worried himself at the turn of events, not least by the shove from Ice Cream, Arno guessed. The brown haired man looked back at the on-edge Assassins. He had to calm them down.

"Look, let's not raise our voices..." Arno soothed trying to calm the tension, "granted most of the palace guards have fled, but we don't want to sit on our laurels, now do we?"

There was silence as the two eldest Assassins stared at him.

"...Arno's right..." Green Coat spoke up, as Axe and Ice Cream looked at him, "There could be some still within these gardens..."

After a pregnant pause, Axe stiffly grunted an apology which Ice Cream briefly and uncomfortably nodded at.

"Right, this way..." Axe mumbled, turning and walking further into the forest as Ice Cream paused, looking at the ground, before he too followed.

Arno looked at Green Coat who looked back at him. For all the tension between them through out this past year, in this one moment they were united by the shock of having both Axe and Ice Cream beginning to fight. Why? Were they tired? Hungry? Both? After the storming, Arno had felt the familiar "Jitters" creeping back up into his spine making him feel hyper aware. The mission hadn't gone on for as long as the storming of the Bastille, but his brain was alert all the sane. But it had been oddly silenced at seeing the calmest member of their group and their leader at sudden logger heads. Maybe it was an age thing, Arno thought. After all, Ice Cream had told Arno that he and Axe both had known each other for a very long time. Arno looked back at Green Coat as the other swallowed, blinked and ran after his lover, leaving the disturbed ex-templar standing alone in the smokey forest.

_Don't you soddin' start, don't you realize 'o we're after?!_

Arno narrowed his eyes. That man with the blue hat and white feather Axe had been earlier ordering him to keep an eye out for upon the roof tops...was this the man that they had been after now? Then who the hell was that they just threw to the lions? Was the blue hat and white feather man here at Versailles? Arno didn't know but it sounded like it must be some very old foe they had been after. Someone that Ice Cream knew about as well it seemed? Wait, what was the feather on the door meant to be about? A sign? A signal to the Assassins? Arno had gone towards it upon seeing Axe indicating it was of some importance. So, wanting to make sure the coast was clear, for he had another payback to give to Axe for saving his life, the boy had made for the door. It was stupid now, in hindsight, for him not to have realized there would be guards nearby.

Arno growled at the familiar confusion of what the hell their group was actually doing.

He was starting to get very sick and tired of being so sparsely informed of what the Assassins were planning or who they were after. Arno had thought for ages that it was just Templars the four of them were focusing on. But first their apartment HQ was compromised, then the baker's shop was burned down causing Francois the kitchen boy to lose his father, now this storming of Versailles and chucking some pompous man out of a window? How did these things connect to each other? Granted the march wasn't planned by the Assassins, but it seemed Ice Cream had a hand in this particular event...and why were they trusting that woman from the cafe anyway? Arno agreed with her mandate but he was uncomfortable having her work with them, and so closely too, she could be a Templar after all. Why was she so trusted? And what now of Mirabeau? Were they just to forget about him? And what of Mrs Breton? And where the hell where they meant to sleep tonight? In this bloody forest?

Arno coughed and spat onto the ground, his own temper flaring as he ran after the others.

One thing was for certain, he was going to corner Axe and demand to know everything before the week was out.

~

"If I ever complain about our new abode, shoot me," Arno laughed as he laid back in the exquisitely made arm chair. He plopped his arms on the sides of the high arm rests, feeling his finger tips tracing the thread of gold and silver silk snaking it's way around the fabric in detailed patterns.

"Is that a promise?" he heard Green Coat's voice float to him from across the beautifully furnished corridor, the man leaning back down from looking at a painting of King Louis.

"You're hilarious," Arno said with a smirk and was surprised to see the man smirk back before he chuckled, turning his attention back to the painting. Arno blinked. Green Coat was laughing? Another first, he thought. Hmm, seemed there had been a silver lining to Axe and Ice Cream's outburst. Ever since the two young men had been both equally shocked at the other two's confrontation, the air around them seemed to be more hospitable.

They had all ran back to the Palace from the garden's forest, towards the large crowd as the men, women and even some with children, began to over take the palace. There were shouts and the like coming from a few windows on the floor above, but Arno didn't find out what was going on. Axe had led them round to a side building, where he was told was used to house Royal guests. The building inside was it's own self contained mansion. A large kitchen, dining hall, huge storage rooms, stables with a couple of horses still there, numerous staterooms, bedrooms and to the gasp of Ice Cream; a fully stocked library from floor to ceiling. Arno was startled as well; he had never seen so many books! Neither had Ice Cream as it turned out, who the others had a devil of a time dragging away from the inviting horde of knowledge, as the Assassins continued their exploration. It took Arno a few moments to realize Axe wasn't with them anymore as he looked back up from where he was still sitting on that incredibly made gold and silk arm chair.

"Where's Axe?" Arno asked to Green Coat, but as if on cue, the man and Ice Cream appeared with the woman, known only as "The Cafe Lady", walking next to them.

Arno slowly stood up, mouth slightly open.

She was wearing an Assassin's uniform.

"Ah, Arno Dorian, if I am not mistaken?" the young woman asked warmly, walking over to him, Ice Cream at her side, and held out her hand with a smile as Axe waved to Green Coat. The young jet black haired man quickly jogged over to the bearded Assassin, Arno only barely aware of them both vanishing into a side room.

Arno took the dainty looking hand, shaking it firmly, bewildered at the turn of events, staring as the three of them stood in the large corridor. The Cafe Lady was really an Assassin all along? Arno marveled at the sight.

"You're a-"

"Assassin?" she smiled at Arno's question, before nodding to Ice Cream.

"Arno, this is Mademoiselle Camille," Ice Cream said, hand indicating to the young woman next to him, "Other wise known as that woman we met at the cafe."

"So I now gather," Arno said not realizing he was breathless. He had thought that The Cafe Lady was rather attractive but now in the Assassin uniform, her true identity, Arno was beyond mesmerized. Her sparkling green eyes twinkled with warmth and her raven hair fell about her shoulders effortlessly. Arno wasn't sure if he was imagining it but it was as if her skin was glowing.

"She's also our Communication's Expert, relaying information between us and the other Assassins around the country," Ice Cream said before he smiled mischievously, "And she's pregnant-"

Camille slapped Ice Cream on the arm, laughing as the man rubbed his arm dramatically, mock look of pain on his face. "No secret is safe with you, is it Ice?"

"Only because I have a bet on what the sex is going to be," he laughed back, giving up the injured act, "30 sous says it being a girl."

"A boy, it's going to be a boy!" she chuckled and jabbed a finger into the Lock Picker's chest, who was continuing to laugh merrily, "Or so my husband thinks. But to me, girl or boy, I don't care," she continued turning to Arno, "As long as it's healthy."

"Here, here," Ice Cream said, also turning back to Arno who was still starring. "Camille is also the Area Commanding Assassin for Versailles. Her husband is about to take over that role when the baby arrives," he said with Camille nodding in agreement,

"He's going to love all that paper work," she whispered loudly with a cheeky grin, making the other Assassins chuckle.

"When we saw her at the cafe, I knew something was about to happen here at the palace. Although..." Ice Cream said hopefully, turning back to her. "All that talk about the Declaration of Women's Rights? Is that...?"

"All true, Ice Cream," she said firmly, before she smiled wryly, "And don't I know a few hundred ladies who would want that law to be passed."

"And then some," Green Coat, who had been absent up until now, said softly as he returned to the group, making the girl nod.

"Equality for all," Camille said before smiling warmly once more, "That's what we Assassins stand for, Arno."

"Then I am in excellent company," Arno nodded, still entranced by her grace and at this turn of events. But damn, she was married and expecting? Well, he could still appreciate her beauty non the less, he thought as Axe popped his head out of the room to the side and called them all in for a debriefing meeting.

 ~

"Men, I have an apology to make," the bearded Assassin said, standing to address the three seated others, his hands behind his back. "Today in the gardens I lost my temper. I should not 'ave. I be beggin' your pardons."

"I too beg the groups forgiveness," Ice Cream said honestly standing from his chair, putting his wine glass down and standing next to Axe, addressing the two young men. "We both let our tempers get the better of us...it was not professional and was uncalled for."

Arno raised an eye brow. Axe he had fully seen the man lose his temper, but... _that_ was Ice Cream losing his temper? All the man did was raise his voice a bit louder than usual and give Green a bit of a push...Arno also didn't miss how ironic the flipped situation was, for it was not so much as a few months ago that himself and Green Coat were being reprimanded for loosing theirs.

"Apologies accepted," Arno said, bringing up his wine glass towards them from where he was sitting in a large and cushioned arm chair. They were all, minus Camille, sitting in a medium sized drawing room, officially relaxing after the day's events, for they all desperately needed it.

"...We'll all help you find him, Axe" Green Coat said looking at Arno and then back to the other two Assassins.

Arno nodded even though he didn't really know what Green Coat was talking about. Unless he meant Mr Blue Hat n' White Feather?

"Merci beaucoup," Ice Cream said quietly, nodding also, now looking at Axe next to him, "And..."

Axe coughed, bringing a hidden hand out from behind his back.

"...we lot 'ear it's someone's birthday today-"

"Oh, for fuck's sake...," Green Coat mumbled, looking away, not being able to hide the large smile on his face as he sat in a similar sized arm chair to Arno, as their leader marched up to him and slapped him on the shoulder, shoving a bottle of expensive looking wine into his hands, "Happy Fourty-eth mate! Don't drink it all at once!"

"Twenty-two," Green Coat laughed, taking the bottle and pointing a tracking finger at his ex-mentor as the man went to sit down on another large arm chair, "I'm twenty-two, you cheeky sod."

It was later, after the bottle had been cracked open that Ice Cream rejoined them again, having escorted a returning Camile back from her last official mission to her room. Her husband, was currently away in some far off country but was on his way back. Also, as it turned out, after a lengthy discussion earlier with Camille, both her and her Assassin husband had been secretly preparing this very building to be a future Assassin HQ. "We read the newspaper," she had said, not seeing a cringing Green Coat, "and thought we'd help out our brothers and sisters by setting up shop here in Versailles, considering there was to be a march to get the King out and back to Paris from here." Arno had nodded, listening intently. The plan, she said, had been to force King Louis and his family out of Versailles and back into living in Paris, so that the Third Estate aka the public, could force his highness to see the suffering of his people and do something about it. As the Royals had left, escorted by a crowd of people, a good portion of the throng had stayed and began to create a make-shift village within the expansive palace and it's grounds, seeing as the place was full of, now free, food. The Assassins would make the guest quarters of the palace into their private HQ, where as the general populist could use the main building. If anyone was to ask what they were doing in the guest building, then they were to say that they were simply a group of representatives from the National Assembly; the people who were fronting the political side to the Revolution.

It was not long after the sun had set that Ice Cream and Green Coat busied themselves setting out a feast of food from the kitchens. So abrupt was the exiting of the King and his house hold staff that the pots were still boiling when the Assassin's found them bubbling over on the stoves. Suspicious that the current broth had been maliciously tampered with, Ice Cream set about making new portions of food with Green Coat. Soon bowls of vegetables and cooked meat were served and the Assassin's dinned like they never had before. And in such exquisite surroundings! It was much needed down time that the four of them needed after the day's storming and garden's argument. The conversations were normal enough, hostility far from all their minds as Arno tucked in and enjoyed the rich food. After their meal, Axe had collected up the dishes and put them over to the side while Green Coat had taken some food up to Camille, for she was too tired to join them. Ice Cream and Arno began wiping down the table, however after the Axe Assassin had smashed one too many plates, the sound echoing through the corridors, the Lock Picker had to come to the rescue of the worried looking crockery.

Now they were all together again, seated in a small but cozy room, each leaning back in a plump and rich colored arm chair with Axe being the only one taking up an entire cushy cream colored sofa to himself. Not that he hadn't tried to sit in an arm chair prior, but after doing so and having it promptly breaking it's legs off from underneath him at response to his sheer weight, he cursed at the harmless piece of furniture and decided his arse deserved better seeing too on a suite, much to the tipsy laughter of the others.

“Have you ever thought about having a beard, Ice Cream?" Arno asked, sipping on the fruity tasting red wine from a dazzling piece of glass wear.

“No,” the copper haired Assassin laughed, also taking a sip of alcohol from his crystal like glass, “If I did that I would look too much like an old man.”

"Oi," Axe 's voice rumbled, laughing as he stroked his own beard, " 'o you callin' an old man, Monsieur Dessert?"

The group laughed as they continued their bonding as the hours past.

Before long, Axe had his feet up on a small foot rest that was bowing with the weight of his bare feet, cracking jokes to the others. Green Coat was sitting in his own seat, pushed up next to Ice Cream's and was smiling for a change, laughing along with the others and the Lock Picker was leaning towards his lover, their elbows touching on the two arms rests pushed together. Arno smiled when he noticed and realized he was finding himself lifted by this evening. In the mists of a revolution that was now not so quietly rumbling away, this gathering was food and drink, not only for the stomach, but for the soul. He wished the evening would continue far beyond it's boundaries, as he doubled over laughing at some punch line from Axe, but he knew the next day and the day after was continuing their fight against the Templar Order. But Arno vowed he would always treasure this night, as he knew no one could predict the future. Arno took another gulp of the alcohol, the fact that the last time he had drunk he had vomited it all up into a bucket twas far away from his mind as he cast his mind back further, feeling warm as the open fire in the room crackled and threw light around them, chasing off the night.

After this past year he decided he really did like Axe. A lot, if he was being honest with himself. It was comforting, really. He had joked to himself constantly that Axe was like a tame bear. And like a tame bear he could be damn near scary when he got going if today was anything to go by. His bulk alone was intimidating. Ice Cream, well he couldn't fault the Assassin. His soft spoken ways and kindness were always welcomed and he was, apart from Axe, more inclined to smile more. He suspected the man didn't even get angry, or if he did, it was rare as, again, the past afternoon proved. Arno chuckled to himself and made a mental note never to piss off Ice Cream as he realized that meant the man probably had the worst and most horrific temper out of them all. And Green Coat...the verdict was still out on that one.

Midnight soon rolled around as did the parlor games. The Assassins, not being able to think of any other games, so intoxicated they were becoming, played the Anonymous Card Game. Each wrote questions, or scribbled as best they could in their drinking hazed states, onto pieces of paper, folded them up, again as best they could and threw them all into a bowl. The game would start with the Assassin who picked out one question and then it would go around the chairs and each Assassin would have to answer as best and honestly as they could. Then it was the next person to pick from the bowl. If the handwriting was unintelligible or an Assassin couldn't answer, then they would have to perform a forfeit. Questions raised from the good “Best drink you've ever had?” the bad “The worst drink?” and strange, “If you could be a drink what would it be and why?” Before long the wine was well and truly flowing and so were the Assassin's tongues, until eventually the subject matter went down the inevitable route.

“So, my turn into the pit of snakes, is it?” Arno said leaning forwards to take a folded piece of paper out of the fruit bowl, blinking into his slightly blurred world. Arno sat back in his chair, clearing his throat, fourth glass of champagne in his hand...or was it his fifth? He squinted a bit, trying to ignore the sudden if muffled sniggering coming from the copper haired Assassin as he began to unwind the small piece of paper in his hands. He cough as he finally opened it and read out loud. “To who and where did you lose your virginity- ICE CREAM!" Arno laughed, snapping the card down, an eyebrow raised dramatically, making everyone laugh. "Did you write this?" he playfully accused.

Ice Cream had his head leaning on his knuckles, trying and failing to get a hold of his grinning.

“No, Arno," the Lock Picker chuckled drunkenly, "Why would you say that?”

“Well, apart from your smirking before I even started readin' ," Arno said leaning forwards and turning the piece of paper over to show the Assassin, "You wrote your bloody name on the back, you idiot!”

Axe, and even Green Coat, laughed heartily at this, making Ice Cream go red in the face with embarrassment, as he covered his face with his hand, his shoulders shaking in laughter at himself, wine glass sloshing in his other.

“Fine, fine, since I read the question, I feel it is only proper to answer, AHEM!” Arno coughed as he breathed in loudly, “STILL~ A~ VIR~GIN~!” he suddenly sang in a very loud baritone, which set everyone off laughing again.

“Good for you lad, nothing to be ashamed of, at least you weren't a dumb cock of a teen when you did, unlike moi,” Axe said before he started drunkenly reminiscing about his first time. A twin from the next village over, from his own home town, had said she quite fancied him. So he had put on his best jacket and agreed to meet. But what he didn't know was that her twin sister had caught wind, who had quite fancied Axe for a time and had altered the letter that was to confirm the time and place of the meet up.

“So, ta cut a bloody long story short," Axe snorted, "I ended up makin' love to the besotted twin sister instead!” The room erupted into laughter as Axe continued, “They _hated_ each other after that, when the other sister got wind of what 'appened. When I met the original twin, I said I were sorry coz' I thought it were her I was shaggin'!"

"Oh no," Ice Cream chuckled into his hand, shaking his head in despair as Green Coat wiped away tears of mirth from his eyes.

"Well she got her revenge," Axe said into his glass.

"Why, wha' happened?" Arno asked.

"I married her."

The entire room cracked up again.  More tears of drunken mirth were rolling down Arno's face, and Ice Cream and Green Coat were near enough leaning on each other, gasping for air.

When everyone had finally calmed down from Axe's story all eyes went to the next Assassin.

Ice Cream blushed bright red and tried to hide his expression by pulling his cowl down further over his face.

“Oi,” Axe called, leaning forward on his sofa, wine sloshing dangerously over the rim of his pint sized glass from the movement, “ 'ou have 'ta say; you wrote the bloody question!” Axe laughed loudly, “And don't be giving us no fibs about you being a virgin either!” he said pointing between Green Coat and Ice Cream knowingly.

As drunk as he was Arno raised an eyebrow at this, Axe must be truly hammered if he was openly alluding to Green Coat's and Ice Cream's relationship. Arno flicked his eyes over at Green Coat who seemed not to have noticed, or if he did, oddly not care.

Ice Cream pursed his lips smiling, face still hidden by his lightly tanned cowl, before he quickly jerked his head sideways to Green Coat, who nodded proudly, making the entire room erupt into hysterics once more. Arno smiled inwardly, relieved at the turn of events. It was the first time that either Assassin had openly confirmed that they were in a relationship, sexual or otherwise. Not that Axe or himself hadn't guessed it, but now it was out in the open, he was glad that he didn't have to ask outright if they were a couple...or mention that he had accidentally seen them fucking from a gap in the ceiling.

“...and he's a right kinky bastard-” Green added, making Arno choke on his drink.

“Restrain yourself!” Ice Cream laughed, pulling his face away from his chest, uncrossing his arms and trying to put his hand over Green Coat's mouth.

“That's what I meant!” Green Coat laughed loudly, thwarting the Lock Picker's attempts at hushing him, making Ice Cream give up but not before playfully smacking him on the upper arm instead.

“Alright lads, I feel the tavern is about to close, SO!” Axe said loudly as he hefted himself off the now bowed sofa as he stood up, a bit wobbly but held out his glass, “A toast to our group...VIVA LA REVOLUTION!” he called dramatically, raising his glass in the air.

“VIVA LA REVOLUTION!” the others replied, standing with shaking legs, clinking their glasses together before they downed the last of their drinks.

As the evening's party came to it's conclusion, Arno bid them all a good night and walked back to his designated new bedroom, feeling very giddy but merry as he fell against the walls a couple of times trying to get into the right room that had been assigned his. He heard laughter coming from down the hallway, no doubt from Ice Cream and Green Coat from the sounds of it, but before he could hear what they were laughing about, he found his bed and plopped onto it, after trying and failing to undo a single button on his Assassin Uniform.

“Ah...,” he smiled into the silk sheets. Being an Assassin definitely had it's perks. “Viva la Revolution...”

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Sixteen Coming Soon...
> 
> Author's Note:  
> The entire "Storming the Banquet Hall" scene and part of the dialogue are taken and based upon a demo co-op mission "Marquis de Bullion" in AC Unity, but the building changed to the Palace of Versailles to suit this story's need. I was hesitant to add this into the plot (as it's more AC Unity Cannon) but felt it was a nice nod to the game as this was written upon a video shown at E3 before the game was released.


	16. Axe's Remedy

~

It was the headache that got to him first.

It began as a sort of dull throbbing but as he came too, that throbbing intensified across to his right temple as light pierced his vision. Arno woke, blearily blinking his eyes, reaching up groggily a hand to his temple, pressing down upon it, trying to stop the pain. He tried to look around the room, only to see expensive gaudy things greet him, and for a second Arno didn't remember where he was. A few more moments later the events of last night dawned on him and he moaned, closing his eyes again, letting his head drop back onto the soft pillows. Christ, how much had he drunk? Arno noticed somewhere in his brain that ever since he had joined the Assassins his drinking habit had increased dramatically. On any other day he would staunchly declare he wasn't fond of alcohol, which was somewhat true, but... Arno squinted. He'd have to be careful he didn't turn to the bottle any more than he already did. He looked down and the bright gold of the sheets began to hurt his eyes. In fact, the entire room hurt to look at. Now he knew why he never used to drink booze. He moved very slowly and slid his legs over the side of the bed, letting a moan escape and keeping his eyes shut until the offensive de-core was out of his vision, feeling the floor connect to his boots, the sound too loud for his liking.

Arno looked up, feeling like his mouth was full of cotton wool and saw a white porcelain chamber piss pot across from him, making his bladder remind him it had been working overtime while he had been conked out. Arno pushed himself up, trying to ignore the headache again as he stood and stumbled to the side, swearing as his hip hit a table and he heard something smash. After another few attempts, he made it over to the piss pot and set about business. When he had finished, pretending that he had hit his porcelain mark more times than he had missed, Arno hunted for some water to wash his hands. He walked over to the side cabinet and saw a wine bottle but no water. "Good enough," he mumbled as some numbed and stupid part of his brain agreed it was a good substitute and spilt some onto his hands before the smell of the alcohol hit his stomach and all was lost.

After being sick onto the rug, Arno groaned, swearing again. "I am never," Arno said, gritting his teeth, collapsing onto the floor and rolling away from the mess, "...ever..." he continued as he rolled and came to a stop onto a side, a cool voice in his mind warning him to keep on his side less he vomited again. He looked up through restricted eyelid, sighing "...drinking again," he finished before the man known as Arno Dorian passed out.

It was sometime later that he jerked awake, the headache still present in his temple but now dulled. Arno didn't know what time it was but from the strong light streaming into the room it must be mid day or afternoon he guested. He made a face as a whiff of something revolting hit his nose and the earlier morning's events came back to him shamefully. "Urgh...," he moaned and pushed himself up, headache pounding faintly with the movement. He chanced a glance and almost lost his stomach a second time, turning his head away from the mess. He's have to clean that up. Typical, he was given a King's Stately Bedroom and how had he treated it? By pissing and vomiting all over it. Arno got up and made for the kitchens down stairs, cursing the day alcohol was ever invented, not caring that his Assassin Uniform was half off of his shoulders. He needed to wash, needed to be clean, needed to wash last night's drinking out of his body and soul.

Arno got up and walked out of the room, stopping in the long corridor, hunched over, not sure where to go. He looked up and down the quiet passage way as he blinked at the expensive painting and statues dotted around. The wash rooms must be somewhere...Arno made his way to a set of doors, trying to turn the nob of a couple, but both were locked. He came to one brown door and opened it to reveal a storage room that looked like someone had fallen into the middle of at one point from the pots and mobs scattered and broken on the floor. He walked passed another dark one and heard the distinct snores of Axe coming from the other side of the door. Arno scoffed to himself, he wondered how the huge man was fairing. The twenty-one year old continued to walk down the passage and saw the stairs off to his right. He was about to take them when he heard a noise, like a breathless whimper coming from the room to the left. Arno paused and walked over to it to see it was slightly open. Curiously he walked up to it and peeked inside.

Green Coat was on his back, bare chested, his inky black shoulder length hair spilled out across the pillows with the white and silk looking sheets covering him up to the waist. Arno squinted. Seemed the man was in the throws of some vivid dream, for he kept mumbling and whining desperately, a painful expression on his face. Arno put his hand on the door knob and pulled it towards him. Best leave the man to his night terrors, but as he did he saw Green Coat suddenly turn onto his side, facing away from himself. Arno paused and saw something that stopped him dead.

Scars.

All over Green Coat's back.

Arno opened the crack in the door again, focusing his eyes. Large and long lines of yellow marks were scattered up and down Green Coat's strong and youthful looking back. Like some hideous and out of place patchwork. Arno would have thought nothing of it, they were all Assassins, they all had more than a few battle marks as was the unfortunate nature of the job. But Arno continued to stare, feeling his stomach becoming cold with horror. He knew what caused those lines. They were the evidence of criminals who had been lashed repeatedly.

Arno closed the door slowly, suddenly feeling that he had to hide what he had just seen. Shaking his head, he continued down into the bowls of the Assassin mansion. As he descended the stairs, his Assassin cloak still on him, hood down, he looked out into the warm and cheery lit interior and out at the lush green gardens trying to get his eyes used to sun light again. Small streams of smoke were issuing like streamers from fires that each tent had set up in the gardens, with flags of blue and red being flown from high on the various poles scattered about. The main palace must be full, if people were camping outside Arno thought as he continued down the curved stair case. He put what he had just seen to one side and began to recall the night before as he descended, one hand gripping the hand rail, not trusting his balance with this particularly nasty hangover.

As he felt his boots descending the steps, his mind began to wonder back in time. The night before came back to him and played again in his mind; of them all laughing, drinking, trying to convince Ice Cream to grow a beard and of Axe laughing about how he had met his wife. Oh and how that same man had outed Ice Cream and Green Coat's relationship to the room at large. He wondered if the large man remembered what he said or would he wake up this morning completely clueless as to what happened? Arno had a theory that there were only two types of drunks in the world; the ones who forgot everything while intoxicated and the ones who remembered literally everything the morning after.

And Arno was in the latter group.

Scratching his head, grateful that his headache was now slowly fading, his long brown hair a mess, he made for the kitchen area, mouth feeling like sandpaper. He continued to lean on the banister as he finished his decent, his head throbbing with dull pain as he walked across the marble floor. He felt like shite, but he felt like he had gotten off lightly as his eyes weren't as blood shot as he feared as he passed a large and gold ornate mirror, stopping to check his profile. He hadn't shaved in a couple of days, he mused, as he rubbed his chin and saw a scabbed over scar across his face that the storming had given him. He scrutinized it, tracing the line. It wasn't deep but most likely he would have a faint mark there. He checked his pony tail and not only was it absent but his lose hair made him look like he had been dragged backwards through a hedge. He scoffed, nothing a quick wash and comb wouldn't sort out. He needed to preen. But first, food and to get some water to wash the alcohol off his hands. What the hell had he been thinking trying to wash his hands with it? But as he found and opened up the kitchen door and saw what greeted him; he realized had definitely gotten off ridiculously lightly from the heavy drinking.

Ice Cream still in his, a bet it very disheveled and oddly torn down one side, Assassin Uniform, minus the blue arm band, was hunched over the table, forehead pressed against the table, a mess of wavy auburn hair spilled out across a good potion of the table. Arno, blinked, he knew Ice Cream had long hair which he kept in a braid, but now free he didn't realize just how long it was. Arno blinked again and looked at the flopped over form. He didn't know if the man was awake or had passed out.

One way to find out.

Arno coughed to announce his presence but regretting it immediately as his head throbbed sharply. Arno saw Ice Cream turn his head very slowly, long wavy auburn hair falling around him at the motion, so Arno could just see a very red and blood shot blue eye between the copper strands.

“...Axe-?” the raspy voice muttered.

“Morning...”

“Oh, Arno...,” Ice Cream said, almost as if in a dream, “I'm sorry, I...I didn't see you there” he continued, pushing himself up and sitting back up in his chair with a long wince and intake of breath.

“Good Lord man,” Arno said taking another look at the man, coming over to him, “...you look like how I feel.”

Ice Cream closed his blue and blood shot eyes in tired anguish, brown furred, grunting.

“What happened?” Arno said pointing to the large tear in the man's coat, as he then looked around the kitchen for some source of water.

“Hmm...?”

Arno turned and pointed again at the man's tanned coat.

Ice Cream blinked slowly at Arno and gradually looked down at his own clothes.

Arno frowned. Jesus, the man looked like he had never been drunk before in his life. But then maybe he hadn't. This was Ice Cream, after all.

Ice Cream looked down at his side and made an noise of annoyance.

“I... I think I tried to undo it,” he said, gesturing to it weakly.

“Looked like you tried to use your hidden blade,” Arno joked as he found a stone pitcher, looked inside and was sad to see it empty.

“...I must have done,” Ice Cream said, smirking ironically and embarrassed before both men chuckled and then winced at the joint headaches.

Arno turned and walked across the grey and stone colored kitchen, over to another nearby jug that looked like it could contain water, relieved to some still inside.

"How's your injury?" Arno asked, taking the jug to the basin sink and washing his hands. He looked behind him and seeing the confused look at Ice Cream he continued, "I mean after the Storming, looked like a guard got a good swing at you."

"Ah, I got distracted...I think," Ice Cream said touching the top of his head and feeling a thin line there, "Oh my....!"

Arno turned around to see the Lock Picker holding a lock of hair.

"That man took some of my hair," he mumbled showing Arno a long strand of hair that had indeed been sliced in two and was much shorter than it's neighboring locks.

"Just be grateful that was all he took," Arno said as he finished, dried his hands on a cloth and picked up two hardly looking mugs before he returned back to the circular kitchen table.

"True," Ice Cream agreed, before nodding a thanks to Arno at the offered mug.

Curiosity got to Arno. Did Ice Cream remember anything from last night?

“...quite the night last night,” Arno said, pouring water into Ice Cream's cup before filling his own, the sound so damn loud to his sensitive ears.

“...I don't know, I don't remember...” the Lock Picker mumbled, realizing.

Arno got his answer.

"What do you remember?"

"I...," Ice Cream said, intense look of concentration on his face, "I remember seeing Camille and her husband and of Axe talking to us...then I drank some wine and..." the man paused, "...that's it."

Ah.

"I gather Axe is still asleep?" Ice Cream said to which Arno shrugged and said "possibly".

Arno got an idea.

“...Where's Green Coat?” he asked innocently.

“Still in bed," Ice Cream moaned, shutting his blood shot and red eyes.

Arno pursed his lips and blinked. He didn't want to pry...but after seeing the bedroom scene before he came down the stairs and from what he had seen from his attic snooping and then Axe drunkenly outing them last night...did Ice Cream really not realized he let them all know that Green Coat took his virginity? That Axe had outed them? Did Green Coat remember, even? They all were pretty sloshed. Couldn't hurt to mention something...? As, if Ice Cream did indeed remember, even just a hint of what happened, and so did Green Coat, then they could all stop pussy footing around the fact that the group harbored a couple. Plus, he would rather ask Ice Cream who was not so likely to tell him to fuck off. Arno took a gamble as he filled his mug and then went to top up Ice Cream's one.

“...I hope he doesn't steal the duvet from you?”

“No, not really,” Ice Cream said taking the drink offered, oblivious to the trap, rubbing his eyes, “I tend to get a good grip of th-”

Ice Cream froze.

Arno didn't miss it and as Ice Cream snapped his head up to stare at Arno, the ex-templar opened his mouth, holding a hand up, before a shocked, if still hung over looking Ice Cream could back track.

“I know.”

Ice Cream looked at Arno from under his blood shot and heavy lidded eyes with horror. Arno continued to refilled Ice Cream's glass, all the while the other Assassin continued to stare at him. After a very pregnant pause that seemed to last an age, the Lock Picker broke the silence with a single husky word.

“.... _how_....?”

Suddenly everything he saw while in the attic shot to Arno's mind, making him cough. Seemed his suspicion that Ice Cream hadn't remembered what Axe said, was true. He thought about mentioning that Axe had outed them last night but then the feeling of guilt of catching the Lock Picker and Lock Smith in the throws of passion crawled up into his gut. Time to come, somewhat, clean.

“I, er... heard you both back at the Tavern," he said putting the pitcher down on the table and taking a sip. The cold water soothed his mouth and throat like a breeze, his head thanking him.

“...the...the tavern?” Ice Cream asked, looking confused.

Arno swallowed at the awkwardness.

" ....Green Coat was apologizing...”

Ice Cream frowned.

"Apologizing?"

_"Profusely."_

Ice Cream blinked in confusion, before he realized with utter mortification what apology Arno was referring too. He groaned loudly, covering his face with a hand as his whole frame sunk down onto the table.

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph...” Ice Cream mumbled into his palm. 

“...and the donkey that took them all to Bethlehem,” Arno offered with an awkward smile.

Arno saw the man take a long gulp of water, wincing again, before Arno leaned over and filled the man's glass a third time.

“...merci...” Ice Cream whispered before he looked worriedly at Arno from the corner of his eyes, chewing the inside of his mouth. He went to open his mouth before Arno spoke first.

“You have nothing to fear,” Arno said, once again holding up a hand, "It's none of my business.”

Ice Cream looked at him for a long time before a warm and small smile ghosted across Ice Cream's face.

“Thank you, Arno...”

“No problem,” Arno said, hating the hypocrisy of his words. None of his business? He spied on them having sex! But truth be told his guilt felt more subdued. One of them knew that Arno had heard them. He would just forget to tell them he saw as well.

Both men remained in silence as they drank the cold water, trying to stop their headaches but it wasn't long before Arno noticed Ice Cream looking pained, suspecting that the hangover had nothing to do with it. He saw the Lock Picker flicking his eyes to him and away again before back to the ex-templar several times.

"Hmm?" Arno asked.

“Does...”

Arno looked up as Ice Cream spoke so quietly he had to lean forwards.

“...Does Green know that...you know?”

Arno shook his head, noticing how Ice Cream's voice was becoming quieter by the moment and how the man's face contained fear. But the moment Arno had shaken his head, the man looked relieved, like a huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.

"Good...," he said before he once again went to open his mouth before Arno got their first.

"I won't tell him," he said, "as far as I know, I know nothing. Like I said; it's none of my business."

Ice Cream nodded, putting his hand over one of Arno's gently, squeezing it. 

"Thank you," the Lock Picker said, eyes connecting, before Ice Cream withdrew his hand.

Arno nodded with a smile, partly shocked at how soft and warm Ice Cream's hand was.

_They've had, eh,... **problems**...in the past, with folks finding out._

Arno took another sip of water, his headache now receding completely as Axe's words echoed in his mind. From what Axe had said, he had always wondered what sort of problems Ice Cream and Green Coat had, apart from breaking the public law. He had imagined they would have been harassed in some manner or another. But it wasn't as if they both flaunted their relationship. They were, from his perspective, highly guarded, especially in the case of Green Coat. Arno felt pity for them. They were consenting adults who clearly loved and cared for one another...did it matter that  one of them wasn't  of the opposite sex? There was so much hate in this world, Arno thought, that to try and deny the Lock Picker and Lock Smith a life together seemed absurd. But they were Assassins and thus didn't live under the same rules as the general populist.

 _Nothing is true, everything is permitted_.

Well that would mean their relationship would technically be allowed in the Creed, but...there were always people who would argue that fact. Arno didn't think any fellow Assassin would have taken a front to their relationship, but then it wasn't like the two of them had publicly declared to the Creed they were a couple. Hell, Ice Cream had just thanked him for not telling Green Coat that he knew, even though he was accepting of their relationship. Arno wondered if the copper haired man knew Axe was aware of their relationship, but seeing the look on Ice Cream's face, he decided against asking further. They were both hung over and one revelation was enough for now.

Arno drank more water as the image of Green Coat's marked back came to him.

The thought that one of them could have been imprisoned and punished in some Parisian prison had crossed his mind but...oh, God did Ice Cream have the same scars on his back?! Arno thought back as he swallowed more of the cool liquid. He cast his mind to the first evening he spent with the group; Ice Cream had slept on a sofa with his back to Arno...he concentrated on the memory and didn't think he saw any proof the man had been lashed. He did have curved hips though, but that was by the by.

“Arno, be honest...”

Arno raised an eyebrow, bringing him out of his deep thoughts.

“Did I do anything... _uncouth_ last night?” Ice Cream asked, wincing slightly at the question.

The memory of Green Coat telling everyone Ice Cream was a kinky bastard flew straight in front of his face.

“Nothing I can recall,” said Arno.

“Oh good...” Ice Cream said, relieved, bringing the mug to his lips, half smirking, “I'm glad that I haven't _completely_ embarrassed myself, then.”

The door across from them opened with a small creak and Axe walked into the kitchen, dark brown hair a mess as he stretched his long arms out over his head, looking refreshed. He was followed soon by Green Coat who looked anything but refreshed. Looked more like he had been sleeping rough for a month. His black hair was messed, emerald coat was barely on his shoulders, as was his white shirt, with dark circles under his eyes and his jaw displaced a long stubble. The twenty-two year old paused at the door frame, staring into space with a confused scowl, before he took one very slow long look at a small window off to his right, blanched and mumbled something along the lines of “fucking bird noises at this time of the day.”

Arno looked at the nearby grandfather clock.

It was 3pm.

Green Coat exhaled loudly, before plopping down onto a wooden chair across from Ice Cream, forehead pressed onto to the table. His jet black shoulder length hair falling around him. Ice Cream reached over and put and hand on top of the man's head absentmindedly, making Green mumble something.

Arno hauled himself up and retrieved two more stone mugs, filling them for the new comers. As much as last night was fun, hang overs were not.

However, it seemed one of the group members was less effected.

“Ahh, nothing like a good night's rest,” Axe said with a large smile, taking the liquid filled mug from Arno in thanks, as the ex-templar sat back down.

Arno watched as Axe gulped the water down in one impressive gulp and turn to the three men slumped over on the table.

“And now we see who the light weights are,” Axe continued, grinning broadly, “ how we doing, fellas?”

All three slowly looked up at him.

“Oh! What's that? I believe I'm being called, do excuse me ladies~,” Axe practically sung as he side stepped out of the kitchen and made sure to slam the kitchen door as loudly as he possibly could.

All three men stared though heavy eyes at where their leader had exited, wincing at the boom of noise.

“Bastard,” Green mumbled before his head hit the table once more.

~

“You got us drunk on purpose, didn't you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Axe looked over at Arno, both crouched at the edge of a very tall building. They had been sitting there for the past hour, watching the milling people of Paris coming and going. The sun was setting and soon their watching was to end, but not before double checking that, as Arno had guessed, for a man wearing a blue hat with a white feather. Arno had tried and again and again to get more information on why they were searching for this man, but Axe wasn't telling. He had felt familiar annoyance creep up in his gut at the predictable behavior of the larger man. Arno agreed that as their leader; it was Axe's prerogative to know more than the rest of them, but Arno was starting to question just how much the older Assassin kept to his chest. He had not forgotten the shouting he had received the last time he had asked, just before they jumped into the fray to help Ice Cream, Green Coat and Francois. Was it so bad to tell Arno the crime this man had committed? Arno has asked again, with a much firmer tone and Axe had thrown him a bone by saying the target was a Templar. Nothing more. So Arno had huffed to himself and kept his scowl of disapproval hidden under his cowl as they continued to watch the throngs of people walking too and fro in this particular street. A couple of times Axe had moved them to a different building, but the task was still the same; find this blue-hat-feather-man.  Arno would have asked why the other two Assassin's weren't joining their hunt if it wasn't for seeing how ridiculously hungover they were this morning. Arno was grateful for his hangover was more or less gone.

“Was it not obvious?”

Arno looked at Axe.

“You think I haven’t noticed the way Green Coat acts towards you?" Axe said with a smirk, "The glaring? The sneering? To be honest lad, I don't blame you for near enough throwing a fit when he pinched 'ya diary. But, " Axe continued, scratching at his bearded thoughtfully, "since we're all becoming friendly again after mine and Ice's little tryst in the garden, I thought a little greasing of the social wheels would help things along. Plus, I'm sick and tired of them two,” he jerked his thumb over his shoulder, “thinking we don't know about their shenanigans."

Arno frowned.

“Shenani-?”

“Love Making.”

Arno winced, not so much at the word but the volume. Axe hadn't said it as so much shouted it.

"If you can call _that_ racket love making," Axe said making a face and turning his head away, “Like a couple of bloody rabbits,” he huffed now in his normal tone, watching the Parisian crowd below.

“Ice cream said as much,” Arno said watching a few guards marching down the road.

This got Axe's attention.

“Oh?”

“He, told me this morning that they're a couple. ”

Axe looked at him with suspicion.

"He _told_ you?"

"Well, I..."Arno said feeling the beginning of fatigue set in as the sun dipped below the horizon, realizing he hadn't actually told Ice what Axe had said,  " ...might have mentioned last night to him."

"Oh?" Axe said still looking at the ex-templar, " ...did he remember?"

"No," Arno said looking at the crowd, "He didn't remember anything past the de-breifing, let alone the parlor game, but..." Arno swallowed as the memory of the tavern spying came back to haunt him. "...I mentioned I had heard them in the tavern."

Axe was silent.

"I know you warned me not to say," Arno said, "but after last night I figured it was a mute point to keep."

Axe scratched at his beard again.

"Did Green Coat over hear this conversation?"

"No," Arno said blinking, "he arrived when you did this morning... into the kitchen."

"Good."

"Axe, forgive me but...if you don't want them to know I know then...why did you out them last night?"

"Ahh," Axe said chuckling painfully, " _That_ I did not intend for. I didn't mean to out them. Granted I am tired of them being all secret and the like, but really they have every reason to be. And last night, well..." Axe said sucking in his teeth. "I felt me plan of bonding was going so well I possibly drank a bit more than I should 'ave, you know the rest," he said, waving a hand out dismissively.

"Ice Cream told me not to mention to Green Coat I know that they're a couple," Arno said, chancing a look at the larger man.

"Good," Axe said again, not looking at Arno, squinting down below at a group of people who were squabbling, "Best he doesn't know."

"Why?" Arno said, annoyance finally getting to him. He didn't want to pussy food around anyone, let alone Green Coat. "Ice Cream is aware now...why can't I just tell Green Coat I know, why must we all act like nothing is going on?"

Axe was silent.

"Granted I do not care for what they get up too, _believe_ _me_ ," Arno said, his attic snooping coming to memory with a cringe, "but...is it _such_ a secret that even though I'm fine with it and Ice Cream knows... I must pretend it's not?"

"It's, eh..." Axe said sucking in his teeth, " _complicated_ with Green Coat."

"How?"

"It just is, now stop asking, son-"

"I saw the scars on his back," Arno said looking straight at the man next to him.

Axe didn't reply as the large Assassin continued to stare into the street.

Arno blinked, thinking he had over stepped the mark. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything. It really was none of his business, but damn it his curiosity wouldn't back down. But as he was about to apologize for pushing the man, Axe's voice broke the silence.

“You saw those, huh?” Axe said not looking at him.

Arno turned his full attention to the man's voice.

“Yes,” Arno said, frowning. Damn, why wasn't the man looking at him? But the tone of Axe's voice shook this feeling of annoyance out of Arno's body. The young Assassin waited for a response from the leader. But when none was forth coming, he pressed again.

“I know those marks, Axe. They're the sign of someone who's been punished, whipped-”

“Aye and to within an inch of their life," Axe said, still not looking at the Assassin next to him. Arno narrowed his eyes as Axe had coughed, and pulled the cowl over his head more, shielding his face. "Now, stop asking son if you what's good for ya."

 Arno bit his lip as the frustration that was once just leaving him came back at full force, all thoughts of searching for Mr Blue Hat 'n Feather gone. He told himself to let it go, but for some reason Arno just couldn't stop the path of their conversation. He had been mulling over this latest chunk of knowledge ever since he inadvertently saw Green Coat's back and still feeling frustrated and confused with Axe not telling him squat about who they were trying to find... Arno felt like he was wasting time, crouching on the ledges of what ever building this was for a target that might not even show up with an Assassin that was meant to show him and confided in him.

“You said back at the tavern that Ice Cream and Green Coat have had problems in the past with people finding out.”

Axe was silent.

But Arno waited.

And waited.

And waited.

But Axe kept silent.

Arno felt regret bubble in his chest. It wasn't any of his business and he was a fool to think it was. The ex-templar returned to looking at the crowd seeing men, women and children milling around.  He had told Ice Cream that his and Green Coat's relationship was none of his business, and what was he doing? Asking about it. He watched as after a long time of silence and the dull murmurings of the crowds below, he heard Axe pull his brown cowl off his head, his semi-long chestnut colored hair coming loose as he sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes.

Arno remained silent as he watched Axe continued with another rub to his dark eyes before looking out onto the horizon, ignoring the people below.

"...I should never 'ave chucked him out...," Axe mumbled, eyes unfocused, more so to himself than to Arno and it was while before Axe continued talking, still not making eye contact.

“What you...what you saw on his back, Arno, was a reaction.”

Arno fell silent again. He really shouldn't pry any further. From the quiet voice of Axe, that should have been a red flag of a topic that was sensitive to the larger man. But as always curiosity got the better of the twenty-one year old.

"...what happened?"

Axe coughed, sniffing.

 "Fights between Novices ain't unheard of, Arno. You get a bunch of young lads together, in a confined space and one of 'em is bound to ruff the others up the wrong way," Axe said looking down at his gloved palms, as he began to rub them together.

Arno remained silent as Axe continued. The memory of himself and Green Coat fighting on the tavern's roof top came back to him at full clarity and Arno tried to ignore the hidden and very uncomfortable truth in Axe's words.

"...Green and Ice were my students," Axe said, taking off said gloves, bring up his naked hands to his mouth and breathing warmth into them as the night sky began to turn a cold inky black, "...so I didn't want to believe either of 'em were involved..." he continued, rubbing his hands together. "But one night... a fight broke out in the Novice quarter. The Parisian HQ, Arno, was set up so full Assassins lived separately from the new recruits...and..."

Arno swallowed, keeping his mouth shut as Axe spoke.

"...when I got there, me and a couple of other Assassins found Green..." Axe said before he stopped and swallowed, inhaling deeply, eyes to the horizon. "Jesus, Arno... you wouldn't believe..." Axe's voice began to shake as he continued. "...Green was hysterical, shouting for...for him..."

Axe fell silent again.

Arno was about to open his mouth again before the larger man spoke.

“I told him to stay away from Ice Cream, that he'd only get himself hurt, but the stupid boy wouldn't listen. I wasn't scared that Ice was gonna do something to him..." Axe inhaled deeply again, "...but rather I was scared what others might do to the pair of 'em..."

Arno watched as Axe blinked a few times more and continued.

"We hauled his arse to the infirmary but 'e fought us, tooth and nail, like some animal...screamin' all the way about the stables..."

The two men were silent.

"...I went to check there and..."

Axe breathed in deeply, seeming to try and control himself.

"...and found Ice Cream."

The ex-templar felt chills seeping into his bones at the man's words.

“... what did they do to him?” Arno swallowed, dreading the answer.

At this Axe went quiet again. Arno waited but the man just stared out into the darkness of the Parisian sky, now peppered with twinkling lights. The silence continued and Arno knew the conversation was over. Axe's gaze was unfocused, deep in thought. Arno cursed to himself. He should never have bought it up, never should have mentioned. He didn't realize how much it would upset the burly leader to talk about the past and now regretted his words immensely. The past was the past, no point in bring it up. Both Green Coat and Ice Cream were fine now, back at the Versailles HQ, probably asleep or laughing and being merry. Arno felt his legs cramping, and began to stand, apologizing for the turn of the conversation and that perhaps they could continue with surveillance of this street tomorrow, when he heard the other man speak.

"They did unspeakable things to him, Arno...and...” Axe whispered, his voice shaking, still staring out into the distance and into his dark memories. As he stood there, Arno watched the man known as Axe turn to him with a face of pain and untold anger. Arno swallowed, taken aback seeing moistness in the elder man's eyes as Axe's voice finally broke.

"...and they had forced Green Coat to watch.”

 ~

 Green Coat walked slowly and painfully back up to his room, having called it a day. The hanger over was still, well hanging on, and Ice Cream wasn't faring much better either as the two Assassins plodded up the staircase. After trying to listen to what Axe had been saying in the kitchen, when the smug bastard had returned, nattering on about scouting for their target, the large man and Arno heading off on that particular scouting mission. The two other Assassins had unanimously agreed on retiring back to their room. They were in no state to go with Arno and Axe. When they arrived, Green Coat shirked off his trade mark coat the moment he reached the bed, dropping it to the floor with his boots as their new and expensive looking bed beckoned. He crawled back into it thanking all the Gods they had a roof over their heads.

The copper head Assassin undid his coat which promptly ripped more and after struggling, he threw it to the side. Green Coat raised an arm up as he laid on his side, watching the other join him in bed. Green Coat grunted happily as he felt the man snuggle into the circle of his arms. Even though they were both very much hung over, the perfume and smell of Vanilla mix with the scent of musk and earth calmed the two as both begun to recuperate in each other's arms.

Ice Cream's hand came up to Green Coat's face and a thumb stroked a cheek, "Your stubble is getting longer," he murmured.

"Hmm," Green Coat mumbled back, eyes closed as he bought out his own hand and clumsily tried to mirror the action on Ice Cream's face, but ended up making a guess and putting a hand in the man's hair, "Yours is longer," he mumbled which made Ice Cream nudge him playfully. Both Assassins cuddled closer and fell asleep in the warm silk sheets.

It was many hours later that Green Coat woke to see Ice Cream next to him in their familiar spoon, his front against the Lock Picker's back. He yawned as he looked around. The light was fading and...shit, had they slept all day?! Had Arno and Axe returned yet? They needed to get up and...damn, his head was clear. He looked at the man in his arms. Was Ice Cream feeling better too? He didn't want to wake him, so green Coat put his head back down onto the pillows and the man's long hair as Green Coat looked around the room. To say the room was stately was an understatement. After the storming and drunken evening of his twenty second birthday, which he couldn't recall most of, the two of them had stumbled their way back to their room. Although they hadn't been told where that was, so after trying to lock pick their way into a storage room, both falling into it with many bangs and crashes of mobs and a snap of a broom, Green Coat had seen Camille poke her head out of a door and point to one at the far end of the corridor. He had then dragged a very intoxicated Ice Cream to said room but not before the man pinned him up against the door smothering him in kisses. Not that Green Coat minded, for he took the opportunity to return the favor but as they did so the lock on the door came lose and they both tumbled backwards into their new room with much laughing. He then remembered the others wondering hands coming up inside his green coat as he wrapped his own leg around Ice Cream keeping their hips pressed together.

"Oh, I see you're using my trainin' to good use?" Ice Cream had drunkenly said, smirking.

"The _best_ use," Green had smiled as he had then, with out any protest, hauled the Assassin up and onto the bed, but in doing so he accidentally fell on top of him too, making Ice Cream laugh uncontrollably.

"You fink dis is funny, eh?" Green Coat had laughed himself as mischievous hands began to snake their way up Ice Creams' sides.

"Hmm, very Monsieur," Ice Cream said jerking his hips up in reply, his legs wrapped around the other Assassin's waist as Green Coat leaned down in a clumsy cloud of kisses and caresses, the shove Ice Cream had given him back in the palace gardens forgotten from both their minds.

Green Coat smiled against Ice Cream's neck as he continued to remember the rest of the night.

They had both pressed their lips together drunkenly as clothes and boots were thrown off and each feasted on the other. But he snorted remembering that both were so drunk neither could properly agree on how to go about the complicated art of love making, so instead they had agreed on snuggling instead with wondering hands before they both very quickly passed out. The next few hours were a blur with both of them being very, _very_ sick. After cleaning themselves up and returning to bed, Green Coat grumbling that he had broken his "no alcohol" vow, had then woken later to find himself freezing cold and Ice Cream gone. Deciding he'd have to get up eventually, hang over or not, he stumbled out of the door into Axe who guided him down into the kitchen where the man had said the other two must be.

The man in Green Coat's arms mumbled before softly snoring again, making the twenty two year old smile, bringing his thoughts back to the present as he softly kissed a peach bare shoulder, putting his head back down on the pillows. Another few winks of sleep couldn't hurt...

~

A young twenty one year old Green Coat walked slowly around the Parisian HQ, the night of heavy passion with Ice Cream still weighing heavily on his mind. Part of him wanted to run back to the stables and into the man's arms but... no, he had to keep away from the man for a while. Both of them had to process the dramatic and erotic turn to their relationship. Even though Green Coat's heart was begging him to be with the man.

Time passed as Green Coat walked around the Parisian Assassin's HQ, the night bringing cold air and stars out to play, as he meandered through the gardens he knew off by heart. A bell sounded, toiling out the hour, making Green Coat numbly remember he had a meeting with Axe.

But he didn't care.

He wondered more around the gardens, sitting down here and there, deep in thought as lights flickered on and off in the huge building's windows, ignoring looks from passerby Assassins, some he recognized as a few of the Novices that he had put in their place for stealing his equipment and...

"Merde," he mumbled as an unfinished task came back to him. He got up, seeing the group of young men look at him and continued walking, talking in hushed tones to themselves.

Green Coat stalked back to the building, putting his hands into his outer coat pockets.

The lion statue.

He never gave it back to Ice Cream.

Wait...maybe...maybe that was how they could talk again?

Green Coat stopped on the path, thinking with an intense scowl.

Ice Cream didn't know he had the statue and it presented an amble excuse to see the man again. But no, he had to restrain himself...but no harm in retrieving it? Green Coat thought back to where he last had it and the library came back into his mind. He'd left it there after finding out Ice Cream's duel-natured secret. The twenty-one year old Assassin moved out of the gardens, accidentally seeing those thieving Novices again who looked at him with smirks. He ignored their looks and the fact that they might be tailing him, and went back to the library. When he got there, his Assassin nature got to him and he checked he hadn't been followed. When he had finished, he returned to his table among the tall aisle of books and saw the white lion statue had been moved onto a window sill, it's face staring out of the glass. Green Coat scoffed, as he walked over to it and opened the window slightly, looking out. If he didn't know any better it was as if the lion was enjoying a view of the gardens. Someone must have put it there as a joke. He picked it up, frowning that it was warm to his touch and looked back at it's hollow eyes.

Green Coat frowned.

Odd...wasn't this statue snarling when he first had it? Green Coat flipped it over and saw the hand carved words of _Salmacis_ still there on it's belly and shook his head, thinking it must have not ever been snarling. Candle light did strange things to a person's view of objects in restricted light, he concluded.

The young man picked it up and put it into his jacket before walking out of the library. But as he did he hit into the chest of a very bulky man.

“Ah there you are,” Axe said from off to his right, making Green Coat look up.

“Not now Axe...” Green Coat whispered, looking anywhere but at the man.

But Axe took no notice.

“You were meant to be at the reading room an hour ago-”

“I said not now,” Green Coat said a bit more firmly, a faint voice in his head reminding him that, yes, he did indeed have such a meeting to go to but chose to forget about it and walk the length and breadth of the gardens instead.

"So where were you?" Axe asked, eyes hard.

Green Coat averted his ex-mentor's eyes.

"Answer me, _boy_."

Green Coat locked eyes with the man, feeling his anger spike.

"Piss off, old man."

Suddenly a hand came out and grabbed Green Coat by the throat slamming him up against a stone wall of the corridor.

“I know you slept with him,” Axe growled into his face as Green Coat coughed and spluttered, clawing at the huge hand that was holding him. “How do I know?” Axe continued matter-of-fact as Green Coat looked and saw a piece of root that looked like it had been gnawed on being shoved into his line of sight. “Because I caught Ice Cream chewing on this.”

Green Coat continued to choke, seeing a young and short blonde haired Assassin suddenly walk around the corner, across from them both, out the corner of his eyes. The young man stopped and quickly darted back around and away from the scene, unknown to Axe. Green Coat moaned in his head. That boy was in the same social circle as the ones who had stolen from him. No doubt they were to tease him mercilessly for his current situation. If this brute of an Assassin would set him free.

“You know what this is, boy?”

Green Coat snapped his eyes back to the angry bulk of a man that was holding him.

"...n...no..." Green Coat managed to say as the air was being squeezed out of him.

“This is the only thin' that is stopping me from smashing ya' face in and castrating you,” Axe growled before he abruptly let go of Green's neck and the twenty-one year old gasped for air, dropping into a heap on the floor.

"I hate to do this, but you leave me no choice," Axe growled, as he grabbed the startled and coughing dark haired twenty-one year old by the back of his green cowl and shoved the man out of the nearest door. Green Coat cried out as his body slammed into the graveled pathways outside and the cold air struck at his lungs.

“You are now a Novice,” Green Coat heard the seething man say, blinking long black hair out of his eyes.

"Wha...what?!" Green Coat managed to wheeze out, palms beginning to hurt where they had scrapped against the stones.

"Novices are not allowed in this here main buildin'. If I catch ya' in here, I'll thrash ya' so hard you'll wish ya' were never born!" Axe growled and with that he slammed the large door shut on the shocked Assassin.

Green Coat stared at the door for a long time, still sprawled out on the ground. He rubbed his neck feeling for evidence of bruising but he knew in his gut his mentor would never actually harm him. Throw him around, yes, but never seriously. He groaned as he slowly stood up, a hip hurting from where it had sharply met the ground. Green Coat stood finally, coughing, hunched over in subdued shock, still gasping for air as he heard faint laughing coming from somewhere, but he didn't care.

He checked his pockets and...

No lion statue.

"Merde...," he breathed as he checked his inside pockets again, before he looked at his injured palms.

Green Coat felt anger boil up inside of him as the twenty-one year old looked back at the shut door where Axe had exited.

"Bloody pillock," Green Coat snarled as he began to make his way around the side of the building, snaking his way unseen to where he knew how to get back in. He wasn't a fucking Novice, he shouted in his head. How dare that man presume to demote him! He didn't even want to think about the embarrassment and humiliation of having that young Novice see Axe chastising him. He'd deal with the thieving Novices eventual laughing at him later. Green Coat looked left and right and vaulted over a stone fence, wincing at how his hands smarted. Upon finding an open window, he crawled up and into it, landing silently back into the library, thanking the heavens he had earlier opened it. He needed to have that statue, needed to meet Ice Cream again. Everything else could, quite frankly, go fuck itself.

Green Coat looked around and under the nearest wooden table.

He paused when he saw a blue velvet covered book sticking out of the wooden rivets. "Deja vu," he mumbled, as Green Coat yanked The Fountain of Salmacis book from back under the table. Green Coat stood up and looked at it in his hands. Damn, how did this get here so fast? Last he had seen it, he had put the book onto a stone slab next to Ice Cream at the stables. Had Ice Cream come back inside? It was dark and cold outside and he had to eat so obviously the man must have...

Green Coat looked up and around him for a tanned and white coated Assassin, hopefully. But found it empty. He blinked, ignoring sadness, as he coughed and put the book into his jacket. Green Coat didn't know why but it made him feel closer to the man somehow.

His searching continued.

Damn it, where the hell did he drop it?! Green Coat crouched down low and snuck around the book cases, stopping to hide when he saw another Assassin that looked a bit too much like Axe. When the coast was clear, he made it to the main door and gingerly opened it.

 Green Coat looked up and down the cold stone corridor, quickly looking briefly at the wall where Axe had only moments ago pinned him up against.

He frowned, looking around for his ex-mentor but saw nothing. Green Coat cast his eyes back down at the stone floor for a white lion statue.

He walked over to where he had been thrown out and _there_ was the lion statue! He quickly jogged over to it, thankful that it looked like it hadn't been damaged, before picking the figure up from where it was lying on it's side-

"What the...?" Green Coat breathed, eyes wide as he slowly stood back up and turned the palm sized statue over in his hands.

Green Coat looked into it's hollow eyes.

The statue was snarling.

"What the hell is going on?"

"I could ask you the same," a cruel and familiar voice said as Green Coat spun around just in time to see the butt of a rifle smash into his face.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Seventeen Coming Soon...
> 
> Author's Note:  
> Please forgive the lateness of this chapter. This was due to work commitments.


	17. Silence is Never Green

~

Blood and smoke.

Their combined stench was everywhere and in everything.

Green Coat couldn't breathe.

Somewhere in the dense smoke he heard Axe's voice shouting about a fire in the stables.

The stables...that was where he was...that's where the smoke is, Green Coat's foggy mind thought to itself as his vision blurred in and out. He tried to move again, coughing, feeling like his lungs were on fire, but his front was pressed against a hard wooden surface. He tried pulling away from it again only to feel like his back was being clawed at. He shouted for Axe, the man was near, he had to be! But his past tutor's voice faded in and out and then was gone completely. Green Coat screamed again, hoping his ex-mentor would hear and save them both. But he heard the man's voice no more. He coughed, spitting something thick out of his mouth, as the smoke began to choke him further.

Ice Cream wouldn't stop crying.

Green Coat shouted for him, pleading at the monster to stop as he pulled against the ropes on his wrists, trying to breath as his throat began to burn, from his own shouting or from the smoke, Green Coat didn't know anymore. He needed to get to his lover, he needed to stop the hat and feather wearing monster from hurting Ice Cream, if only he could get loose! Green Coat growled with pain as he jerked his front away from that now oddly soft but still wooden surface but it was in vain. He gritted his teeth as he felt claws swiping at his back, making him breathless. He growled desperately looking down and saw a lock around his bindings. He was a genius of a locksmith, had been told as such all his young life, he could figure out just from looking at any lock how they could be made and thus broken. Green Coat grit his teeth once more as he pulled the rope around until his hands were on the mechanism. He squinted at it, feeling sweat pouring into his eyes, making them sting, coughing again. No, he had never seen this one before. There was no key hole. Nothing. He tried feeling around the edges of the grey lock but there were no lines where the metal met. He growled again louder in pure desperation, Ice Cream's voice painful to his soul, as something soft and fur like suddenly brushed past his semi naked body. He looked up as a low guttural growl reverberated throughout his mind and deep into his bones.

A pure white lion slowly walked passed him; it's huge paws lazily, but with untold commanding power, padded softly across the straw covered floor of the stables.

Green Coat called out to it and it stopped, it's intense blue eyes turning to view him as time began to slow. He started screaming at it to help, to please save his lover from the monster.

But the lion just stared at him.

Green looked into it's sapphire eyes and saw pity, anger, love and everything in between and knew he was too late.

~

Green Coat jerked awake with a loud and strangled gasp, breathing heavily in between coughs as he desperately tried to drag air into his lungs. He could still smell the smoke in his nostrils and it burnt. The twenty-two year old rolled over onto a side with a painful wince with his back feeling like it was on fire. The young man squeezed his dark eyes shut, the feeling of the bed's silk sheets too harsh for his over sensitive skin. Suddenly he felt something way too hot press gently onto his upper back and he instinctively lashed out, flinging an arm sideways with a frightened grunt as memories came flooding back. But just as quickly as he had lashed out, Green Coat tried to jerk his arm away from the perceived threat but... it wouldn't budge. He tried to jerk his arm away again, as Vanilla began to seep into his being, slowly bringing him down from his state. Ice Cream was in pain, he had to get to him, he had to stop it! But a voice was calling to him. It was soft and reassuring. Nothing like the screams he had just heard smashing their way through his skull.

"Vincent," the far away voice called, "Vincent...wake...up..."

Vincent? Who the hell knew his real name? He never told anyone. Would never tell anyone. Axe knew of course, his father had been friends with the large axe swinging assassin. But there was no one he had told his name too, it was too dangerous. Even Axe would never dare to mutter it in public...except...no, there was one he himself _had_ told...one he could trust enough to go against his vow of letting no one know his true name...

"Vincent, please look at me."

Green Coat slowly looked at what was holding his arm hostage before blinking rapidly, trying to tell dreams from reality as blue eyes full of worry gazed at him. He flinched, as for a moment, he feared the white lion owned those eyes.

"...Ice...Ice Cream?" he croaked, swallowing, trying to blink the nightmares away.

His lover was looking him, holding his arm with both hands in a soft grip. Green Coat focused all his attention on that man, who was in bed with him, a bare and strong chest with perfectly sculpted shoulders, blue eyes wide in concern and long copper hair messy from sleep.

"...I....oh, thank God..." Green Coat breathed, leaning over and wrapping his arms around his partner. He embraced the warm man tightly, willing the remaining horrors away from his mind as he breathed in Vanilla and pressed his lips to the skin at Ice Cream's neck. He was safe, his lover was safe...the flashback had no business being there. They were both safe now. Green Coat felt Ice Cream put his arms around him, squeezing back, whispering soothing words into his ear as Green Coat managed to regain a sense of reality. The young Assassin slowly let go of his partner, putting his head in a hand, feeling like he was about to vomit from the shock of his vivid nightmare. He coughed, blinking in the moonlight, trying to calm his panicked body as he realized his skin was covered in cold sweat.

"...it happened again, didn't it...?" Ice Cream's soothing voice asked, as he gently let go of his partner.

"Oui..." Green Coat said, breathing in harshly and exhaling, trying to swallow even though his mouth was dry. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on the fact it was just a dream, forcing his body and back to lean onto the sheets again, as Ice Cream looked worriedly down at him. What he had seen was an echo of the past. Just an echo. Nothing more. He repeated the mantra again in his head. They were safe now, it was just an echo. But soon the sheets began to be too hot for him so he moved, slowly shifting his legs off the side of the bed.

Ice Cream watched as the Assassin pushed the covers off of himself and walked naked over to the wash basin, coughing and spitting up mucus. Ice Cream slowly got out of bed too and walked over to his lover, who was dabbing his face with a wet towel, an arm bracing the side table. Ice Cream reached out and placed a reassuring palm on the twenty-two year old's back who paused, but didn't flinch this time. "Your back is burning up," the Lock Picker said barely above a whisper, pressing another hand to his lover's spine, feeling the tense muscles there along with the horrific scared marks.

"I feel so hot..." Green Coat said, with a croak, before leaning into the touch, the smell of Vanilla strong. He blinked at the moon light coming in from the tall window opposite. "Sit with me, please...I need to be near the window," Green Coat mumbled, turning and making his way over to the cushioned seat at the window's ledge, his hand in Ice Cream's gently leading.

The Lock Picker followed and when they arrived, he put a plate of bread onto the floor that had been resting on the cushions, making more room for them as he leaned up and opened the latch with a creak of a window pane and pushed it open. He heard his partner next to him sigh as the cool breeze entered the room. Ice Cream sat back down on the soft cushions and rubbed a hand on Green Coat's thigh reassuringly as they both breathed in and out in the silence. The day had been oddly hot for the month of October, but it wasn't unheard of.

Green Coat looked out the window, in between his shoulder length jet black hair, seeing tents and a few burning lights here and there spread out across the palace's vast gardens. What time was it? He looked across the room and saw an ornate white and yellow clock above the fire place. It was 1am. He looked around the room more, not really seeing it, feeling his heart beat calming. The new sleeping quarter that they had been given was beyond anything Green Coat could ever image. Built for royal guests, their four poster bed was off to the left, curtains around it still up and tied back in their hangings on the wooden posts. The floor was wooden but a huge red carpet was covering it, and a large mirror that reflected the room was off to their right, where just below it was a dark mahogany cupboard with a wash basin set into it. Green Coat leaned back into the cushions on the window's seat, feeling his body cool as Ice Cream stroked a thumb over his skin, a hand resting warmly on his left thigh.

 "...it was different this time..." Green Coat said in a low voice, the lion's face still vivid in his mind.

Ice Cream looked up.

"And..." the young Assassin said barely above a whisper, "...and yet I still couldn't open that damn lock and save you-"

"Stop," Ice Cream's voice commanded, soft yet firm, as he quickly put both hands on Green Coat's thighs, leaning forwards.

"Stop that right now and look into my eyes."

Green Coat stared down at his own lap.

"I said look at me."

Green Coat slowly looked up and was caught in Ice Cream's intense gaze, like the one he had seen back at the Bastille, paralyzing his brain into zeroing in on his partner. His blue eyes seemed to glow in the light filtering through the open window.

"It wasn't your fault. _None_ of what happened was."

Green Coat frowned and nodded weakly as a vision of the white lion with blue eyes came back to him, making him tear his eyes away from his lover, blinking.

 "It was there, Ice..." Green said swallowing, a frown continuing to form on his brow. He grit his teeth before he slowly looked off and away into the room, "It was there and it _looked_ at me."

Ice Cream too worried his brow in confusion until he looked over to where Green Coat was staring.

A harmless old leather tube was currently on their bedside table, resting on a blue and velvet covered copy of The Fountain of Salmacis.

Ice Cream turned back to his lover.

"Green Coat, it's a statue...it's not alive-"

"Is it not?", Green Coat said, eyes snapping to his tall partner.

The Lock Smith leaned in towards the Lock Picker, their noses nearly touching.

"Back at the Parisian HQ, it snarled at me," he said in a fierce whisper, despite himself, feeling scared the statue might actually over hear them.

"Snarled at you?" Ice Cream asked, frowning in confusion.

"Oui," Green Coat said, "And you know me, I don't believe in the Pieces of Eden or any of that rot."

Ice Cream nodded and Green Coat quickly looked at the leather tube across the room again, before back to his lover.

"Twice I have clapped my eyes upon it and twice it appears to be a different statue. But it's in fact the very same one."

Ice Cream looked at him still with confusion before blinking and looking away, seeming to want to say something, rolling his lip in between his teeth. "Green Coat..." he said softly, "...you...you were hit in the face and knocked out back then-"

"I swear Ice Cream," Green Coat said, ignoring the doubt in his partner's words, "...I so much as blink near it and the thing moves."

Ice Cream studied the Lock Smith carefully, before opening his mouth, "Green, that statue has been in my possession for over twenty years...in all that time, I've never seen it snarl..."

Green Coat smiled awkwardly, "You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

"No, I don't think you're crazy," Ice Cream said honestly, leaning back before slowly smiling, "...stuck up and arrogant yes, but never crazy," he said with a wide smirk, winking, making Green Coat scoff a laugh.

"And you're an insane Lock Picker who can't hold his drink," the twenty-two year old smiled, feeling Ice Cream playfully shove his arm. "Where did you get it from, anyway?" Green Coat asked when they had both finished smiling from the teasing.

"The lion statue?"

"Hmm," Green Coat nodded.

Ice Cream coughed, "I...found it in a shop when I was a teenager," he shrugged, bringing some of his long hair over his shoulder and beginning to pick at the split ends, nonchalantly, "I had recently read The Fountain of Salmacis and, obviously, upon seeing a statue with part of the book carved into it's belly..." he flicked his hair back over his shoulder with a sigh and shrugged again, "I had to have it."

Green Coat watched his partner talk. Between them, nothing was hidden. There were no secrets, no hidden off topics...except one. Green Coat never knew what Ice Cream was before he met Axe. Hell, he didn't even know his real name! Not that he hadn't tried to find out, but he always got no where. He had heard that Axe had taken Ice Cream into his home when he was in his early twenties and thus the man became a stable hand at Axe's farm. His former mentor had made him part of the family and helped out when Axe's wife gave birth to their second child. It wasn't a surprise to Green Coat when he learnt this, the large bearded man had been very protective of Ice Cream in the early days of him being at the Assassin HQ, telling the young green glad Assassin that Ice Cream was new to this and to back off. He scoffed remembering all the times Axe had warned him off of Ice Cream. But then he sadly remembered that Ice Cream was one of the only ones to have survived the fire that had taken Axe's wife and son. Green Coat shifted on the spot, his mind going back to his lover. Each time he had asked about the time before Axe, the times of his teenage years, Ice Cream would shrug and offer him a smile, shaking his head, putting a wall up between them. Green Coat had learnt to live with it, as their future together was the only thing that mattered to him. But yet here he was...talking about a time before Axe...maybe...maybe he would say more? Green Coat was very curious, and in trying to get the man to tell him, he had previously told him his own past with the Creed, in hope that the copper haired man would return the favor. Even telling him his real name. But his lover had remained hesitantly silent. Green Coat looked up, swallowed and tried again.

"...what...what else happened when you were a teenager?"

Ice Cream smiled at him and shrugged.

Green Coat offered a small smile and looked away.

The wall had come up again.

"I don't know where it came from, originally, but..." Ice Cream tailed off looking back across the room, "Green, I'm telling you to suck eggs, you already know I've been looking for the real Fountain-"

"I guessed that the morning I saw a pile of books about Roman Baths on your bedside table," Green Coat smiled awkwardly, trying to ignore the fact Ice Cream had refused to answer his question. He had every right to do so, the young man thought. Green Coat had been grabbing at straws but still, he felt a twinge of sadness that his partner wouldn't or couldn't tell him. He also pushed the intense want of finding out Ice Cream's true name down into his heart.

"When was that?" Ice Cream smiled, curiously.

"After the first time we slept together," Green Coat smiled, remembering. Ice Cream had told him his secret, and that should be enough for the young man. The Lock Picker had taken a great risk in telling Green Coat about his dual-sex nature, that to warrant further information that was none of his business, he considered now to be intrusive. He wasn't going to force Ice Cream, he respected the man that much.

But he still yearned to know.

They were both silent, enjoying each others presence as crickets chirped somewhere in the gardens, each lost in their own thoughts until Ice Cream slapped the edge of the window ledge.

"Well, then there is only one thing for it."

"Which is what?" Green Coat said with a slight confused frown, bringing him out of his thoughts.

Ice Cream looked back at his partner before slowly standing.

"Let's ask it what it was doing in your memories."

Green Coat looked up at his naked partner hesitantly and nodded.

Green Coat watched as Ice Cream made his way over to the bedside table and opened up the leather tube. Green Coat's breath hitched as the man he loved pulled a bundle wrapped in soft leather out of it and carefully took the cover off. The Assassin swallowed as Ice Cream walked back over, cradling it in his hands. Green Coat made room as the Assassin sat cross legged on the cushions, facing him and put the statue on the window ledge, Green Coat watching it cautiously.

The two men looked at it as the lion statue stood frozen, it's mouth closed, looking out into the semi dark room with it's hollowed out eyes.

They waited.

Ice Cream even saw Green Coat make a couple of forceful blinks at the lion, but the statue stayed the same.

After a few more moments of them looking at it, the Lock Picker spoke up.

"If it's alive then...why haven't I seen it move in all the time I've had it?" Ice Cream asked, cocking his head.

"I don't know, maybe it started after those Novices stole it from you and put it in my bag..." Green Coat said with a short shrug, "Or maybe it likes you enough not to bare it's teeth."

"Like the way you like me?" Ice Cream smiled, an eyebrow raised.

"I hope not," Green Coat smirked, taking one of Ice Cream's hands in both his own and rubbing it lovingly, "...I guess more like how Axe likes you."

Ice Cream cocked his head sideways again with a confused smile.

A comfortable silence descended again until the copper haired man spoke.

"Why don't we try asking it what it wants?"

"You want me to speak to it?" Green Coat asked, really not liking how close the statue was to them.

Ice Cream nodded.

The two men looked at the statue as Green Coat exhaled loudly, muttering "I can't believe I'm talking to a piece of rock..." before he conceited and stared at the statue. Ice Cream wasn't the one with the fear of snarling statues, it was him. He focused his gaze into the dark depths of it's eyes, daring it to move as he opened his own mouth.

"What?"

His eyes shot open as he looked over at Ice Cream who had begun to laugh.

"Don't grunt at it," Ice Cream chuckled, "ask _politely_ , you wouldn't want someone grunting at you, now would you?"

"Careful," Green Coat smirked, "Last time we were both naked in the same room we ended up making a lot of grunts."

"Is that a promise?" Ice Cream said as he leaned forwards with a mischievous smile, eyebrows raised.

"Indeed," Green Coat said pressing his lips to Ice Cream's ones.

They parted slowly, noses brushing before Ice Cream spoke again softly, "Try again to speak to it."

Green Coat begrudgingly leaned back and looked to the statue on the window ledge. He took a deep breath and tried once more.

"White Lion. What is it that you want? I saw you in my dream and...you looked at me," Green Coat cleared his throat as the image and sounds of the lion's guttural growls echoed in his head, "so tell us what it is you want..."

Ice Cream nudged him.

"...please," Green Coat added on.

Both men looked at the lion.

The statue stood there, staring into the abyss, silent.

"Nothing," Green Coat said, partly throwing his hands up from his lap. It was ridiculous. He was trying to converse with a piece of stone. He had never even heard the statue talk at any point. His partner was right, maybe the force of being knocked out all those years ago had made him remember wrongly. The flashbacks he been having these past few months, especially while sick and just now were nothing more, as he had chanted before to himself, than echoes. Ice Cream said so himself, he had the statue for probably longer than he himself had been alive. That thought made Green Coat shudder, as their age gap of twenty-two and thirty-six didn't really bother him... that was until he was reminded that Ice Cream was a teenager long before he was even born. But did it matter to him that Ice Cream was much older than himself? Really, did it matter? They were both adults, both cared for each other. He had heard of age gaps before but he never thought he would be the younger one in a relationship. But then, he never really saw himself ever in a relationship, getting married or having children.

He quickly cast a glance at Ice Cream.

No, he did want to get married. To him. He wanted to be with the Lock Picker for as long as the man wanted him. Green Coat would admit to mentally pinching himself that Ice Cream had allowed him into his secret let alone allowed him into his bed, especially after the exchange they had upon their first meeting.

Green Coat scoffed.

The sex was mind blowing, he would agree wholeheartedly, but if that was all the two had between them, he knew he wouldn't be as happy as he was now. Green Coat was more than willing to bet Ice Cream felt the same. As much as he enjoyed making love to the Lock Picker, the times when they were together, like this, being themselves, talking about what ever, meant more to him then any sexual encounter ever could. But that said, he felt a deep pull towards the Assassin every time he looked at the man. It was inspiring, to put it lightly. And as for having children... he had no idea if Ice Cream could or would even want to have the responsibility of raising a family. He probably would, the Assassin mused, considering how Axe had said Ice Cream was a God send with helping him take care of his own young family.

Green Coat frowned.

He had heard, very recently, one story of a girl who was the same as the Lock Picker, being of dual-nature, living somewhere out in the countryside... but according to the newspaper reports, she was infertile. He knew Ice Cream had been wanting to track her down, to meet another like himself, but as Assassins they were at the beck and call of the Mentor and couldn't just go off on some search without drawing attention to themselves...although oddly, Ice Cream hadn't mentioned it in a while...

Green Coat looked up at his partner.

He had suspected for a long time that Ice Cream wasn't able to ever either conceive or sire offspring. Which was handy, to put it bluntly, considering how many times they made love and it would be impractical anyhow. They were active Assassins and to run the risk of a possible pregnancy would complicate their world, not to mention making it more dangerous, if that was possible, Ice Cream's age of thirty-six aside. Camille's stepping down from her rank was proof enough of how world changing that was, and who knows when she will be back to resume her duties...but she seemed happy enough.

Green Coat let his mind wonder further, continuing to look at his partner.

Would a child between them be like Ice Cream and have blue eyes and copper hair? Or would it have his own dark hair and eyes?

Suddenly Green Coat was very aware of the statue near him, like something was trying to press in on his psyche and he had caught it in the act. He looked at the lion with suspicious again but heard and saw nothing, the odd feeling of being secretly watched retreating. The Assassin quickly looked at his partner in the moon light from between strands of his shoulder length black hair. God, he was so attractive. But he knew Ice Cream didn't really think this statue was going to move or communicate with them-

An idea came to Green Coat.

"No, wait, I can hear something," he said suddenly, feeling Ice Cream lean towards him, face full of anticipation.

"What?" Ice Cream asked, wide eyed.

"It's saying...the insane man next to you is incredibly beautiful, and you should make sure to give him a right seeing too-OW!"

"Honestly..." Ice Cream laughed exasperated, leaning back from chiding Green Coat's arm, who was rubbing the patch of skin where the man had slapped him.

"It was worth a try," Green Coat smiled devilishly. He knew they were not about to make love, but he could feel the other Assassin so close to him that it would only take the smallest amounts of shove to either of them to change that fact.

"What do you think it's made of?" Ice Cream asked, picking the lion up from the window ledge and palming it in his hands, stroking the smooth white back of the lion, holding it to his stomach, "It feels warm..."

Green Coat shrugged, "Looks like marble...or maybe soap stone, if it retains warmth."

Ice Cream turned the statue over in his hands, squinting at the numerous grooves and lines that made the lion's mane. "Why do you think the stone is red and pink in some areas?" he asked looking up in between strands of wavy copper hair.

"Not sure," Green Coat said, scratching at a stubble, "but I want to know where it's eyes are...it's stare is creepy-"

"Shh, don't say that," the Lock Picker smiled, half mocking, "He might hear you.." he continued, putting both hands on the sides of the lion's head, nodding to it.

Green Coat raised an eyebrow and took the lion from Ice Cream's grasp, putting it back on the window ledge but turning it around so the lion was facing the gardens.

"Good thing he's blind, as I'd rather we keep our privacy..." Green Coat smirked as he looked back at Ice Cream, leant forwards and pressed his lips to his lover's ones softly. Ice Cream hummed an agreement as he let his partner caress him. The two Assassins kissed slowly and tenderly, Ice Cream chuckling as Green Coat moved onto kissing his jaw and soft neck. Green Coat slowly pulled back and looked at the man in front of him.

"It's true though, you are beautiful..." Green Coat breathed gazing at his partner, brushing some copper hair away from the man's face, "...I sometimes have to pinch myself that I have someone like you with me-"

"Careful, you might start calling me Camille, Mr de la Vert," Ice Cream smirked, leaning into the touch before lying down on his back, allowing Green Coat to move his body onto his.

"Is that before or after I make you pregnant?," Green Coat breathed with a chuckle into an ear as he began to suck on the soft skin of Ice cream's neck, feeling blood pooling below his waist, his body becoming excited that he was now on top of the Lock Picker.

"Hnn," Ice Cream moaned into the caress, moving a hand behind him, searching from something on the floor, "If you did then...I could shove this up your arse," Ice Cream whispered with a smirk as he jerked back and shoved a piece of rye bread into Green Coat's mouth.

Ice Cream began laughing at the indignant look on Green Coat's face as the other spat the bread out with a fake look of annoyance.

"You're going to regret that," Green Coat's husky voice said as he delved down and began to suck on Ice Cream's neck, pushing his hips down on the Assassin, as he hardened instantly, moving into position. But just as he did they both heard a voice calling from below, making them pause. Ice Cream sat up, with Green Coat swearing under his breath as the chance to make love to his partner was frustratingly interrupted.

"What?" Green Coat asked, sitting back up, seeing Ice Cream squinting into the gardens, before he himself looked out the window and saw the distinct figures of Arno and Axe walking towards the building, in between the make shift tents.

Green Coat felt feelings of annoyance at seeing Arno's uniform.

"Looks like they're back," his partner said as Ice Cream rubbed his upper arm, "Come, let's greet them. Show them we are still competent as Assassins, and not just a couple of dogs who like to mate and lye around all day," he chuckled making Green Coat nod.

The two Assassins got up and moved over to where their clothes were. Ice Cream threw on a white shirt and brown trousers as Green Coat did the same. They were silent before Green Coat jerked up, swearing.

"What is it?" Ice Cream asked, putting on a boot.

"Wait," Green Coat said, freezing mid way through putting his trousers on, "Before...you said to be careful I might call you Camille...?"

"Oui...?"

"...Oh no," Green Coat groaned with a wince, "Frederic is here, isn't he?"

~

Arno climbed down from the scaffolding, mind cloudy and heavy with Axe's words. He followed the man, who's shoulders were slumped ever so slightly as they made their way through throngs of people going about their own journeys. Arno's boots thumped along on the cobbled street as a cold wind whipped past his neck, making the ex-templar draw his cowl down further over his face. After a while the two men arrived back at the guest quarters of the Versailles's palace. The night sky dark above them.

"Arno..." the man gruffly said, turning to him at the entrance to the warm and inviting building. "...I'm turning in for the night. I trust ya' not to repeat our conversation."

"You have my word," Arno nodded as he watched the large bearded man slap him on the shoulder warmly, smiling with a hint of sadness, before turning away and going inside. Arno stood on the spot and exhaled loudly. Jesus, he had no idea. Granted each of them had a past that were full of good and bad memories. But as time was progressing he was realizing that the three men he had come to call comrades...there was so much more going on within the group, or had been, that it made Arno dizzy to even think. What had happened to Ice Cream? What, indeed, would put Axe on the verge of tears just to recall it? Their Axe wielding leader, apparently, hadn't even seen what had happened...only one person had witnessed the full event, apart from Ice Cream...

Arno put his hands in his blue Assassin coat and cast his eyes upwards at the tall windows above him, seeing a few with golden candle lights glowing, twinkling with the night sky up above. Maybe this feud with Green Coat was nothing to do with himself. Perhaps it had everything to do with Green Coat seeing his lover being...well, what ever happened. He couldn't imagine how the other man would have been after the event. And all this time he, himself, had been all too eager to bite at the stares, sneering and side comments that the other young man would dangle in front of him. True, the other shouldn't be taking out his anger on Arno but...well, Arno was beginning to understand. Arno coughed to distract himself and walked into the entrance hall. He was greeted by a couple of Assassins he didn't recognize and a few he did from the Woman's March. He climbed the stairs, sliding his hood off of his head as he exhaled again, jogging upwards and around. Just as he reached his room he pulled a face. Shit, he hadn't remembered to clean up the mess he made. Well, nothing like the present to get it sorted. He pushed tiredness to the back of his mind as he went in search of a mop. But as he went to turn back down the stairs he heard a tinkering of metal. He followed the sound and came to a state room off the main hall, seeing a man inside, hunched over in the candle light, humming and...wearing a green coat.

"...Green Coat?"

"Oh, hello young man!" the green clad figure said, putting up a hand in greeting, not turning around from where he was hunched over. "Just one moment, just one moment," the mystery man said waving his hand, "I want to surprise my wife with this..."

Arno blinked, his mind still not registering how this could be Green Coat as the man looked like he was trying to fix something, and before Arno could ask who the hell he actually was, the man turned around with a wide grin. "Took me a few tries, but voilà!" he said as the tall green coated man spun on the spot towards Arno and opened up a small golden box. The top snapped open and suddenly music began playing with a small ballet girl twirling in a circle inside it to a tune.

"It's beautiful, no? The song is called "Oh my Darling Clementine." Granted it's Clementine and not Camille, but it's probably for the best, considering the girl drowns at the end of the song, but my wife simply adores this melody. Do you like it?"

Arno blinked dumbfounded.

"It's American," the man continued with a wide grin, oblivious to the twenty-one year old's stare. "I've been looking everywhere for a box that plays just this particular tune, but buggered if I could find one, you know how it is, when you're searching for something and then you find everything but that, it will drive a man insane but then that's when you never give up, oh you'll want too, trust me, but I never did and now with just a few alterations to the mechanism then this delight should continue working for I'd say a fair few years but then I need to grease the winding mechanism least it start to rust. Oh! That reminds me, bloody funny story about machines, I was in the Sahara desert hunting down this rascal of a Templar when an enormous sand storm blew in and-" "

"Pardon me Monsieur," Arno said, feeling physically and mentally overwhelmed at being buffered by the man's extreme verbal diarrhea, "But... who are you?"

"Oh, how frightfully rude of me!" the man said, as Arno frowned. He thought Ice Cream could be a chatter box when he got going, but seemed there was a new contender for that title. A new, very creepily identical, if older looking man, to Green Coat.

The green wearing Assassin put the box down onto the side carefully and straightened his long and heavily worn looking dark coat. He readjusted his red sash, that was heavily frayed and embroidered with beads of all shapes and sizes. He flicked back his shoulder length black hair with a cough and breathed in, "My name is Frederic de la Vert," he said before winking, "hence the green."

Arno stared wide eyed at a complete loss for words. Now he could get a good look at him in the candle light he could tell the man wasn't Green Coat but...everything else about him was near enough identical. The shoulder length hair, the jacket, even his enthusiasm for mechanics. Apart from the fact Green Coat would never look that happy if it came and bit him on the arse. Arno studied the man again; his eyes were bright green, not dark brown like Green Coat's and his stubble was interspersed with grey. Arno could see similar grey hairs in the man's black hair. His coat looked like it had seen better days and his eyes were not nearly as circled by tiredness as Green Coat's were. Arno suspected this man definitely slept more than eight hours a day.

"And what, may I ask, is yours, son?"

Arno blinked and breathed in. He looked at the man again and blinked several times. Jesus, if he thought Francois looked like Ice Cream's love child then Frederic was, from his appearance, a carbon copy of Green Coat, just turn the clock twenty more years into the future- Wait, why did he know a Frederic? That name sounded familiar... Ah, wait, wasn't that the code name given to the market seller by-?

"Ice Cream!" The man in front of him suddenly smiled and dashed past Arno in a flap of green, into the entrance hall.

"Bonjour Fred-WOAH!" Ice Cream said as the other man almost balled him over in an embrace, with much slapping on the shoulders,.

"Oh, it's so bloody good to see you my favourite flavor of Ice Cream!"

"Good to see you too Frederic," Arno saw Ice Cream say with a surprised laugh as he walked to the doorway of the state room.

"Still trying to grow that beard, huh?" the green glad and beaded sash wearing man teased after letting go of the Lock Picker with a wink.

"Trying being the word, my friend," Ice Cream said with an ironic smirk, as he looked over and saw Arno in the doorway, nodding.

Arno nodded back, assuming Ice Cream wanted to chat to him but before he could, the ex-templar and Lock Picker were distracted by the presence of another Assassin.

"Ah Bonsoir, my love!" the over excited man sang as Camille walked into the hall with her bump rather more pronounce than Arno had last seen it.

"Oh~My~ Darling~ Camille~!" he sang as he ran and took his wife in his arms, "Ah, everyday I am away from you is like pure torture," he said before dramatically getting down on one knee in front of Ice Cream, Arno and a few bemused Assassins who had stopped to see what this whirlwind of a man was going on about.

Arno suppressed a laugh as he saw Frederic kissing Camille's hand like she was an empress.

"Forgive me my love for I have ventured far and wide across this unforgiving land, but have no fear for I have returned home from the Americas to my wife who is, and shall always be, the love of my life, the apple of my eye, my Temple Godess-uff!"

Camille laughed as she shoved an apple into her husband's mouth, shutting him up, "Not in public, dear," she chuckled as the man stood back up with a smile and began to chomp on the fruit, "I see you've met the new addition to our Order?" Camille smiled, indicating to Arno.

"Ah! Yes, I erm..." the chatty man frowned trying to think, swallowing a chunk of apple, "I don't think I got your name?"

"Arno, Arno Dorian."

Christ, he couldn't get over how much the man looked like an older version of Green Coat.

"Well, it's always bloody nice to meet a new Assassin," the man said taking the twenty-one year old's hand and shaking it vigorously.

"The pleasure is all mine," Arno smiled awkwardly, nearly wincing at the pain as his hand was jerked up and down rapidly.

"Now gentlemen, if you will excuse me," Frederic said, mercifully letting go of Arno's hand, tossing the apple-core into a nearby vase, and once again got down on one knee in front of his wife, "My dear, do you permit me to sweep you off your feet?"

"Permission granted," Camille said laughing as Frederic indeed swept Camille up in his arms, pregnant bump and all.

"Pardon us fellow Assassins!," he shouted smiling broadly, "I have a wife to worship!"

Arno stared dumbfounded as the green coated man walked away with a parting "Toodle Pip!"

Arno stood on the spot, watching the two vanish around a corner before he shook his head and went to join Ice Cream. He walked back into the state room, seeing Assassins who saw the declaration of love beginning to laugh and move away, continuing on their tasks before they were distracted. Arno entered the candle light room to see the copper haired man holding an piece of dark looking bread in one hand and skimming through a book in the other, bent over a wooden table. He walked over to the Lock Picker and blinked a few more times before he managed to get over the whirlwind that was Frederic de la Vert.

"What just happened?"

"He looks familiar, no?" Ice Cream said smiling ironically, "That's Frederic, Camille's husband. He's rather-"

"Animated?" Arno said, making a face.

"That's one way to put it," Ice Cream smirked.

Arno shook his head.

"His accent is interesting...?"

"He's British, originally," Ice Cream said in reply, chewing on the piece of bread, "He came over here from the United Kingdom's Assassin Head Quarters to be a representative years ago...but ended up marrying Camille and becoming a French citizen."

"So who's the representative now?"

"Not sure, Frederic changed his nationality recently so Axe expects a replacement soon," Ice Cream said, offering Arno a piece of bread, who shook his head. He wasn't a fan of rye bread.

"He said he's been away in America?"

"Oui, establishing contact with our American Brotherhood...they've been a bit quiet of late," Ice Cream said, pulling a face of worry, "but that's where our Mentor is from," Ice Cream smiled, "Master Connor is from the Americas."

Arno picked up an apple from the table's fruit bowl and took a bite, nodding in interest at these new pieces of information.

Arno scoffed as he swallowed a mouth full of the crunchy apple.

"So why does he dress like Green Coat?"

Ice Cream took another bite out of the rye bread and looked up from his book.

"Are you sure it's not the other way around?"

Arno blinked confused making Ice cream chuckle.

"A long time ago," Ice Cream said with a muffled laugh, chewing around his food, "Frederic took care of Green Coat, before he became a Novice. Before he went to Axe to be trained. Took him to England, and showed him what it was to be an Assassin."

Arno paused before he pointed a finger at the empty doorway in disbelief, "Green Coat _modeled_ himself after that man?"

Ice Cream swallowed and took a bite of his bread again before two voices could be heard from the room next door.

"Ah, now here is a face I haven't seen in a few years! You've grown so fast!-"

"Hello, Frederic-"

"I see you're still wearing that coat I gave you! Good lad, good lad, get as much use out of it as you can; it served me well! Oh, how I could tell you stories of the night me and that coat vanquished the Pirates of Bermuda, but not tonight, for now, if you will excuse you old guardian, I must go and make sweet, sweet love with the love of my life, Cheerio!"

Arno suppressed his need to laugh, less he choked on his apple, as the white and blue coated Assassins shared a look.

"...maybe he did...?" Ice Cream shrugged, smiling in answer to Arno's question, as he finished chewing and swallowed.

Arno was about to laugh when he saw a shadow passing in the door way. The ex-templar looked around to see the door open and Green Coat walk in looking pale.

"Tell me when he's gone," Green Coat said with exhaustion as he padded past them into the next room with an exasperated, "God, I can't stand that man..."

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Once again please pardon the late update. This was due to work commitments. As such, the following chapters shall be updated weekly and if not then every fortnight. Thank you for your continued support :)
> 
> 16 Feb: Updated and altered some passages.


	18. Diamonds from a China Bull

Arno sat back in that same golden chair again, rapt with attention and a thrilling expectation. It was near midnight and there was an audible buzz of excitement around the stately room. He looked to and fro at the men and women milling around. He had never seen so many Assassins in one place! Over the past few weeks, as the building began to resemble more of a HQ and less of a battle sight; Assassins from far and wide had arrived to take up residence in their new home, greeting Axe, Frederic and each other, with much cheer. Arno looked up and saw a middle aged Assassin, with short black hair, walk into the rapidly filling room, only to spot someone across the way, smile and call out to them. The ex-Templar watched as old friends were reunited and, in a few cases, lovers. Two of which were seated next to him; a tall blonde haired man with a light brown haired girl, discussing their planned marriage and how best to ask for some form of a weekend honeymoon from their area commander. Arno felt a bit out of it, not knowing any of these faces, and suppressed a shudder that if circumstances were different, these would all be his enemies.

During the time he had been sitting there, a couple of Assassins had come over to him, seeing that he was a new face and alone, thus introducing themselves and shaking his hands, welcoming him into the fold. Arno had smiled and gladly shaken their hands, debating whether or not to mention he had switched from the other side. But he didn't have to worry as the second sentence one of them said was "Hey, you're the Ex-Templar, right? Great to have you!" with much smiling that Arno was surprised to see as genuine. If there had been any hint of sarcasm in their voices, well, he had been around Green Coat long enough to sniff it out a mile away, but these men were honest it seemed in their greetings. But apart from those who had initiated the first conversations with him, Arno didn't speak to anyone else. He wondered if any in the room over heard his earlier conversation and purposely didn't want to speak to an "ex-Templar". He also was very aware of the fact he wasn't wearing a red sash. It had been a sore point that Axe had not yet presented one to him, so Arno had fashioned a neck scarf of the same colour, carefully cutting off the mark of the Templars from one of the corners. But as he looked around the space, bodies drifting all around the place with much laughter and conversation, Arno was quiet glad he didn't have to play the Small Talk Game. His thoughts turned inwards again. The twenty-one year old had, in the weeks just gone since Axe had hinted to him the horrors of Ice Cream's and Green Coat's past, watched and observed the world around him.

Axe and Frederic had been rushing around like blue arsed flies, greeting everyone that arrived and shutting themselves away for hours at a time in the library. Ice Cream had been asked to join them on a number of assumed "talks" but what was going on in the library he didn't know. Which all felt annoyingly familiar. However, he wasn't alone in not being privy to this knowledge of what these secret meetings were about. Green Coat had been asked to escort and keep Camille company, which caused many arriving Assassins into thinking he was Frederic, much to Arno's amusement and Green Coat's annoyance.

Arno picked at his gloves with a scoff as a couple of Assassins took up seats next to him, chatting animatedly, waiting also for this important meeting to begin. His thoughts turned to Green Coat again. Ever since the "tiff" in the gardens with Ice Cream and Axe, the two young men had formed a bond, even if it was as thick as the skin on his teeth. Green Coat didn't scowl as much as he had done in the past towards him and had a couple of times greeted him in the hallway. If you can call a quick nod or a grunt as a way of greeting, but to Arno, it was enough. He knew what the man was trying to say without having to sing and dance about it. Arno smirked. The man must have such an ego. Twas quite funny really considering who his guardian had been. Arno looked up as he was offered a glass of red wine, which he took with a smile. He looked down at it before pausing. Did Green Coat really not remember Axe outing him and Ice Cream during their drunken evening? As far as he could tell, and at Ice Cream's words, the Lock Picker didn't remember anything, hence why he had asked Arno if he had done anything uncouth. Arno frowned in deep thought. After his chat with Axe, it seemed that Green Coat indeed wasn't aware Arno knew about his intimate relationship with their copper haired Lock Picker. Arno sighed. He really shouldn't be this interested in their relationship, which he knew he couldn't care less about, until he realized that he did, in fact, care because not only did he have to work and live with them both but there was always the pressing fact Green Coat was ready to smite anyone who came too close to his partner. Arno took a sip of the wine. He was damn sure that type of obsessive and jealous behavior wasn't healthy...

Arno quickly moved his chair to the side as another Assassin moved his way, chatting to the couple next to him, offering an apologetic smile to the ex-Templar as he jimmied in a wooden chair into the gap, trying to make room. Arno, when he had finished making space for this new comer, looked up and saw the room was near full to bursting. Arno continued to look around and saw Green Coat poke his head into the room from the main door, scanning and taking a brief head count, giving up and then disappearing around the door frame again. Arno frowned. Why the hell had Green Coat modeled himself on Frederic de la Vert if he didn't like him? Ice Cream had said the man had taken care of Green Coat before Axe, so after doing the calculations, that would mean Frederic was the man's guardian when he was a child. At least he knew where Green Coat's physical name sake came from, which made Arno chuckle with irony. But still, if he had once looked up to the man and now apparently couldn't stand him, then why keep the nickname "Green Coat" along side the name-sake jacket?

So, so odd.

There was a sudden drop in the chatter within the large parlor room, as Arno looked up from his musings to see Axe, Frederic, Green Coat and Ice Cream enter the room. The doors were closed shut and the two lovers, Arno noticed, stood off to the side at the front of the room. Axe walked up to the center stage, holding a couple of yellow looking paper notes, before standing behind a huge and handsome table at the end of the room.

Arno sat up in his seat and saw the table was bare, save for a long wooden cane that was resting on the side. Behind it was what appeared to be a large square canvas, being propped up on a couple of chairs, which was covered in a old tanned sheet. Arno wondered what was behind the cover, shielding the front of the large board...a diagram of something perhaps? A map?

Axe coughed loudly, making the volume in the room quieten down, as he stood behind the large mahogany table that marked the focus of attention as Frederic stood next to him.

"Right!" Axe called, his deep voice resonating around the room, "First off, I want to greet you all with a very hearty welcome," the bear of an Assassin announced, smiling, "This is the first time that we 'ave all been together since the incident a few years back at the Parisian HQ."

Arno saw out of the corner of his eye Green Coat shift on the spot, moving closer to Ice Cream.

"I know we've been scattered around the country," he continued, "Templars aside, but seeing as France is in the official shite, I think it's high time we set up a larger base, which Master Connor approves of, as this Revolution takes it's course."

Axe turned to the man next to him.

"My thanks to the wonderful Camille and Frederic for securing this 'ere building as our new base of operations," Axe gestured out into the crowd where Camille must be somewhere, and to the older and beyond excited looking dark green coated man next to him, "For I 'ear it was no small feet..."

Before Frederic could lament on just how troublesome it had been, Axe continued.

"Our mentor, Master Connor, has sent word that he is to be here shortly. He's given us strict instructions to plan an expedition."

"To where?" a woman off to the right of Arno's asked.

"Turkey."

"Turkey?!" a voice from a far corner blurted out.

"Aye," Axe said, "A month on Tuesday. A group of a least seven of us is needed."

"Can't the Brotherhood there deal with it?" a man called, "We have enough problems here without thinning our ranks."

There were words of agreement from the crowd.

"The Turkish Brotherhood, like the American one," Axe said looking around the room, "...has gone silent."

The entire room fell mute. Every Assassin knew what that implied.

"What makes Turkey so special to our situation?" a tall man with a well kept beard asked from the corner into the silence.

Axe turned to the green coated man next to him and nodded. Arno watched and saw Frederic was not unlike a man about to burst from the force of keeping in a juicy secret.

"Because of this!" Frederic, seeing the cue from Axe, called as he put something white and hard onto the wooden table, reverently.

Arno leaned forwards as he heard and felt the entire room do the same.

The ex-Templar squinted at a white, almost marble statue, of a lion. It was just over a palm size, with flecks of red around it's head and legs. It looked like someone had caved it out of solid marble and hadn't done the best job of it. There were rough grooves around it's head to indicate a mane, bits hacked off to convey a shut mouth and whiskers. Arno moved his head more to the side and could see the body looked extremely smooth, with a small dip behind the head, and legs that came down into stumps that indicated feet. He looked into it's face and saw it's eyes were sunken holes making it look like it was most likely missing it's original eyes. Actually, there were a few holes. It's ears looked like they had been smashed off, it's nose was slightly con-caved in and it's mouth was closed tightly.

"What is that?" a gruff sounding Assassin off to the side asked, his face semi covered by a dark purple mask.

"This, my friends..." Frederic said picking up the statue in his hands, "is going to help us get a Piece of Eden before the Templars do."

Arno looked left and right as excited murmurs echoed around the stately room.

"How?" Another, this time female, voice asked.

"We believe this statue is from a place in Turkey, called The Fountain of Salmacis," Frederic said with pride, returning the lion to the table so it once again stared out into the crowd.

There were blank looks around the room as Arno saw Green Coat looking shocked, turning to Ice Cream who nodded with a pleased smile.

"The Fountain of what?" a bored sounding man off to the right asked.

"The Fountain of Salmacis!" Frederic called looking like he had just told them the secret of life.

There was silence and more blank looks.

"...Do any of you read books?" Frederic asked with thinly veiled exasperation, raising an eyebrow, " You know, "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World" and all that?"

There was silence until a short girl in the crowd put her hand up nervously.

Axe nodded to her.

"The Fountain of Salmacis i-is near t-the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus..." she stuttered with an incredibly timid voice. Arno looked round and saw she was a small looking figure with dark brown hair and hazelnut colored eyes. He blinked. He almost thought she was a boy at first glance.

"Correct!" Frederic called pointing over to her, "And do you know why a lion would be connected to such a structure?"

The girl nodded, smiling, "Lions were used to decorate the top of the M-mausoleum. To protect the t-tomb from evil."

"And what happened to it?" Frederic called, urging her on.

"It...it...," the girl continued to stammer more, as she suddenly saw all eyes looking at her. Arno noticing her look over at Ice Cream who nodded, smiling, encouraging her to continue speaking "...It was d-destroyed by an earthquake-"

"OUI!" Frederic called, punching the air, "See?" he continued with a massive grin, "isn't History fun?"

"Is this guy really an Assassin?" Arno heard the deep voice of a man mutter to his neighbor from behind, making the ex-Templar want to turn round and tell him to shut up, but the twenty-one year old realized he had to agree. Arno had assumed all Assassins were quiet and stealthy by nature. Axe, Green Coat and Ice Cream were indeed fitting of this role when they had to be and even in their down time none of them had verbal diarrhea to the extent Fredric did...if he ignored asking the Lock Picker about his favorite books that one time.

Arno scoffed as he looked back at the older version of Green Coat. Frederic de la Vert was more like an over excitable bull in a china shop.

"So why is this Fountain and Tomb so special? Why do the Templars want a statue?" a woman called to the side.

"You know," Frederic said, almost dancing at the guessing game, "Greek myths, Water Gods, possible First Civilization mentioning, even men turning into women, etc." Frederic sucked in his teeth, "that last bit, a load of tosh if you ask me, meant to bring ancient tourists to a flagging spring, but well...there is some truth to it," he said jumping over to the side and pulling a cloth off of the large board that had been propped up on the chairs as Arno heard Ice Cream cough.

Arno blinked. He had been right, it was a huge tanned and very detailed map of Europe.

"A month ago, I came back from my travels around the Americas," Frederic said, "I had gone to Boston to find out more information of what I discovered in Southern Turkey, three months prior. When I arrived in Boston, I received word that not only was I to become a father," he winked over at Camille, who was off to Arno's left in the crowd, surrounded by women, making her wave a hand out with a smile, "...but that the Templars are further than we first thought."

There were more murmurs around the room.

"So let's start from the beginning, shall we?" Fredric continued as Axe moved over to the side allowing the man the entire stage to command. "Three months ago, I began my search here," the red-beaded-sash-wearing-man said, taking out a small copper looking cylinder from inside one of his many coat pockets, turning the top to reveal a red stick and began circling the area of Turkey, "The Templars sent a few of their men here to find out more information on the Tomb-"

"Oi!" Camille's voice angrily called from the audience, making Frederic turn to her, "is that my lip stick?!"

"Yes, it is my dear," Frederic smiled, matter of factually, turning back to the map, oblivious to his wife's look of impert horror.

Arno bit his lip trying not to laugh as he couldn't help over hear the continuing, "Cheeky git, I've been looking for that for ages..." from Frederic's wife to the throng of women near her.

"I got wind that a band of Templars had been sent to this particular part of southern Turkey," he said picking up the cane, throwing it up in the air with a twirl, catching it. "So I got on a boat and sailed there!"

There was a thwack of the cane on the paper at the location. Arno tried to not to roll his eyes at the antics. If the man wasn't an Assassin he would make a very good theatrical performer-suddenly an image of Frederic talking a Templar to death came to him making him cough, hiding a smile. To distract himself he looked over at Green Coat who's expression nearly made the twenty-one year old laugh outright. The dark haired man's arms were tightly folded across his chest and he was staring down at a discarded and empty wine glass near him, looking highly embarrassed it seemed for he was looking anywhere but at Frederic. Arno was about to look back at Frederic's theatrical production, but he saw Green Coat lean forward slightly, narrowing his eyes at the glass before looking up at the ceiling. Arno looked up and saw a crack in the plaster. He looked back at Green Coat who was still looking at that crack, deep in thought and then back at the empty wine glass.

"I managed to find the rascals and tail them, they never knew I was there-"

Arno was only half listening to Frederic's tale as he watched Green Coat's curious behavior. The man looked down, eyes unfocused, frowning. Arno watched as Green Coat looked at Ice Cream before looking back up at the crack in the ceiling and then at the glass again-

"...for I snuck into the roof of the stables, where they had kept their horses, and camped out there, watching them-"

Green Coat blinked, seeming to consider something-

"They never knew I was there," Frederic continued, "so I could watch as they got drunk and chatted on about private matters, nothing of interest to me or our cause-"

Green Coat scowled at the empty cup-

"It was hilarious, they were going on about which woman they had managed to conquer and the like; I prayed that they didn't bring them back to the stable for that is all I needed, to hear them making drunken love-"

Suddenly Green Coat's eyes shot open and his head snapped round at Arno.

Arno's eyes locked onto Green Coat's shocked and horror filled ones for a fraction of a second, before the ex-Templar forced his expression to change with a questioning look before Green Coat blinked, looking away.

Axe coughed.

"Oh right," Frederic said, coughing himself and turning back to the map as Arno felt his stomach contract. The hell was that look? At least this time it wasn't of hatred or scorn- Oh shit, did Green Coat know he had spied on them? Wait, how could he? He didn't see either of them look up while they were sharing passions. Well apart from Green Coat, considering he had been flat on his back...and the wine glass...oh no, was Green Coat starting to remember Axe drunkenly outing the Lock Picker and Lock Smith?- He felt an Assassin next to him cough, bringing him back to the meeting at hand. He really ought to listen to Frederic, so what if Green Coat had begun to remember? Wasn't he the one who actually said out loud that Ice Cream was a kinky bastard in the first place? Arno made a face, putting his own, still full, wine glass down for good, as the sounds of those two shagging began playing in his head along with the sharp memory of his last hang over.

"Well after a very uncomfortable night in the roof space, I followed them to the ruins of Halicarnassus. As our newest member, Alexina has pointed out, it was destroyed by an earthquake, so it wasn't much to look at."

Arno looked and saw the timid-stammering-girl called Alexina blush red and hide more into her cowl. She really was such a small thing, as other Assassins near her towered over her frame.

"But the three Templars found a stone slab," the tall green coated man said, "an entrance, ladies and gentlemen, into the bowls of the Mausoleum foundations," Frederic paused, twirling the cane in his hand, " an entrance...with precursor markings."

The room waited for more and Arno nearly laughed despite himself; Frederic had them all by the short and curlies.

"So one of them, obviously, had the key and went in," Frederic said, looking down at the cane, starting to pace, "His Templar mates sat on the sand dunes outside and time passed. I almost got myself fried by the sun out there," he lamented before continuing with a cough, "We waited and waited....and for a change of pace, we waited some more....", Frederic stopped pacing and turned back to the crowd with a mysterious expression, "But he didn't come back out."

"Why didn't you cut them down and go in yourself?" a large man, similar in bulk to Axe, asked from the crowd abruptly.

"Because I do my homework," Frederic smiled mysteriously.

Arno swallowed, trying with all his might not to look at Green Coat, feeling like the man's eyes were boring into him as he caught the man casting glances at him every now and again. If he was asked, he would deny all knowledge about how Axe had orchestrated the drunken night or Green Coat's copper haired boyfriend and what the insides of the Tavern's attic had looked like-

"So!" Frederic said jumping to the other side of the map like some overly excited child, making Arno jump. "I waited. I sat my arse down upon this hill right here," he said with another thwack of the cane onto the map, "and I watched. The two remaining men began to argue until one of them went into the doorway to find out what happened. And he never came back out. So the last bugger went in. And yep, you guessed it, he never came out, buuuuut," Frederic said, turning in a circle, "You'd be wrong. He _did_ come out!"

Frederic pointed his cane at the room, directly towards the area of the room where Arno was, with a dark scowl the ex-Templar always saw on another.

"Never assume."

Arno swallowed.

"I awoke to the most horrific screaming you could imagine!" Frederic continued from his cryptic message, leaving Arno to wonder if it was he himself Frederic had been speaking to or the entire room, "The poor bastard came running out, arms like windmills and collapsed on the ground, dead as a door nail. I ran over to him and the man looked like he had been struck with lightning!" Frederic shouted looking at his own hands dramatically. De la Vert sucked in a theatrical breath and put the cane down before taking something out of an inside pocket. "But in his hands was this..."

The entire room leaned forwards as Frederic stood behind the table, a faded blue handkerchief in his hand.

"What is it?" a voice called.

"This...," Frederic said quietly, scared that it might upset the fabric in his hands, "...is what killed them..." and he pulled the cloth back to reveal a crystal clear diamond.

There were faint "oohs" and "aahhs" from around the room, more so from the women, Arno noticed. The couple off to his right began joking about how that would make an amazing engagement ring.

"How did it kill them?" a woman asked cautiously.

"Looks like an ordinary diamond, doesn't it?" Frederic said, half bored. "Oh don't worry, it won't kill any of you..." he said quickly, seeing some worried and heavily concerned brows in the audience. "I did wonder for a while why this man came out with a diamond...it didn't make sense. They were Templars not grave robbers. So I pondered and pondered, sent my arse over to America to ask the brotherhood there....until it hit me..." he said, his green eyes going wide, as if he was possessed, nodding over to Ice Cream. Frederic reached slowly over to the Lion statue before he put the circular diamond into one of the lion's empty hollow eyes, and placed it back down onto the counter.

"Voilà!"

Suddenly all the lights went out making Arno and a few others jump.

"What you are about to see, ladies and gentlemen," Frederic's voice mysteriously called in the near darkness, Arno feeling the hairs at the back of his neck stand on end, hearing a few panicked hidden blades being unsheathed in reaction, before being retracted, "Has not been witnessed by human eyes for nearly two thousand years....a candle, please Axe."

The larger man walked over with a tea candle and handled it to Frederic who put the candle into the hollow at the Lion's back.

The entire room fell deathly silent as the diamond began to sparkle. It was faint at first, but grew and grew as the light intensified, the candle at the back flickering. There were a few gasps as light hitting the diamond refracted off and suddenly hit the wooden table, with greens and purples mixing and dancing. Others were looking up at the ceiling, as the refracting light caressed the top of the room, more greens and blues and yellows swirling together lazily.

"How is it doing that?" Arno heard a voice gasp. 

"Is it a Piece of Eden?" a female voice to his right called. A pretty blonde haired girl, her white cowl low on her head was leaning upwards, having pulled her cowl off. Arno looked down and smiled, momentary distracted. He didn't realize there were so many attractive women around here.

"We don't know," Axe said, himself looking up at the light display before he nodded off to the side at Ice Cream and the lights to the room suddenly came back on.

Arno frowned with a squint at the sudden brightness. Seemed this royal building had been upgraded to that thing called "Electricity" or what ever it was called.

"As you can tell the lion is missing a few other things," Frederic said, blowing out the candle making the diamond's light show slow and stop. He took the eye out and pocketed it, "...it's other eye, tongue, ears and we think even a nose," Frederic continued, scratching at his stubble.

"What happens when you put all the jewels back in...?" a large man of color said, "then what, the thing comes to life?"

"We don't know," Frederic smiled widely, excitement in his eyes, like he had just won a prize, "But we'll find out!"

"How do you know this is from the Salmacis Fountain?" an older man asked, "I saw that engraving on it's belly when he lifted it up, anyone with a knife could have carved that name."

"You're totally correct!" Frederic beamed again, "But see the red flicks here? Halicarnassus is full of pillars with this tint. Granted it could have come from another quarry but it's more than likely its from the Mausoleum."

The room began to hum with voices talking.

Arno blinked, impressed.

"Who is Salmacis?" the blonde haired man next to Arno asked, his lover nodding next to him, "Why is she so important to us?"

"She's a Nymph," Ice Cream suddenly answered, the room looking at him as he walked towards the table, "Most bodies of water are considered to have some form of deity connect to it, especially in ancient times. The people of the First Civilization might have created them, but for what use, we don't know...maybe they used the legends of the Nymphs to cover up something they were doing. But, according to script, Nymphs are helpers to the Gods, their servants," Ice Cream sucked in his teeth, looking to the side, "but Salmacis...she was, er..."

"She went rogue. Told the Gods to take a long jump off a short one," Axe added.

"Wait, wait," a deep sounding man called to Ice Cream's right, "Salmacis, isn't she meant to be a he-she?"

"Excuse me?" Ice Cream said raising an eyebrow.

"No, that's Hermaphroditus," that timid voice called again of Alexina, "Salmacis was the Nymph that turned him into half a women-"

"I bet that's a pain in the arse," a man in the center laughed, making the room chuckle.

Arno smirked at the light hearted joke before looking back at his team mates on stage.

None of them were smiling.

"A-according to s-scripture", Ice Cream said, shaking his head to get back on track, blinking, before Green Coat stepped forwards onto the stage.

"There was a record of a man called Hermaphroditus thousands of years ago," the dark haired twenty-two year old said bluntly, making the entire room fall silent at the tone in his voice.

Arno watched with curiosity, surprised to see that very dark look back on his team mate's face.

"...who was lost in a forest. He wondered, and in despair, collapsed at a pool...he was so thirsty that upon finding said pool, he drank from it without asking permission. Salmacis was living in its waters and instead of striking him, she fell in love with him. But he rejected her, and such was her anger that she grabbed him praying to the Gods to combine their bodies into one form," Green Coat fixed the man with a dark stare, "So yes, Hermaphroditus was a he-she as you so _elegantly_ put it-"

"It's just a story, " Ice Cream said quickly towards the heckler, moving to be next to his lover, "made up by the author who wrote the first account of it, to get more male pilgrims to go to the fountain. Try and catch a glimpse of the illusive Salmacis-"

"Aye, before she catches a glimpse of them," Axe said laughing, making Ice Cream smile.

Arno noticed Green Coat was continuing to scowl at the direction of the man he had been addressing.

"So what does that lion statue have to do with this Nymph?" Arno spoke up. Something was going on with his team mates that he wasn't catching onto, noticing Green Coat sporting the most aggressive look he hadn't seen in a while. "So the Fountain is near Halicarnassus, the Lion is from Halicarnassus, with the name Salmacis on it-"

"Makes a nice circle, don't it?" Axe scoffed.

"Who knows," Ice Cream shrugged, "maybe this statue is part of the foundation stones of the fountain... it could even be a broken off piece of pillar that was fashioned into lion."

"And as for the diamond," Frederic said, breaking his odd silence, "Buggered if we know!"

"All we do know," Axe said with a deadly look, "is the Templars want this 'ere kitty and the corresponding stones, and they want them _bad_ -"

" 'Aint that where _real_ Hermaphrodites are meant to come from?" that same gruff voice said again, making Green Coat look over.

Arno saw the familiar look of loathing on Green Coat's face, this time directed to the masked Assassin who had earler asked about 'he-shes'. The ex-templar frowned as he saw Ice Cream lean over and mutter something to the Lock Smith that made Green Coat blink and look away. Arno narrowed his eyes. Yes, something was going on-

" 'Coz if it is, I ain't going there, I don't think any of us lads wanna turn into a weak broad-"

"Nor us women turn into rude and _interrupting_ men," a woman from the side chided back.

"Now, now," Axe said as the sound level of the room became louder, "don't get all ya knickers in a twist. Lets leave the Mars verses Venus discussion for another day, hmm? I'm sure Frederic and Camille would love to take that lesson, wouldn't you both?"

The room laughed as Camille called out she would once the baby was born, as Axe turned back to the crowd.

"Now, originally we got this 'ere statue from an older brother over a decade ago. But long story short, bloody Templars got their hands on it a year ago when the old HQ went under. Until the legend that is Ice here," Axe said indicating to the copper haired man next to him, slapping him on the shoulder heavily, "managed to steal it back a few months ago."

Ice Cream smiled awkwardly, staggering under the friendly slap, holding a leather tube in his hands-

Arno opened up his eyes wider. The leather tube Ice Cream was holding. Oh, so _that's_ was what the copper haired man had gotten back at the old apartment HQ. It had been raining heavily and the man came back drenched in rain, holding a leather tube of some sort. What did Ice Cream say when he arrived? God, it seemed so long ago that Green Coat was at his table tinkering away and Axe was cooking in the fire place and Ice Cream was boiling water... the tall man must have stolen back the statue that day. Arno mused, remembering it had been raining heavily that day considering how soaked Ice Cream had looked when Green Coat had helped him out of his tanned coat, after Axe had told him it was too bloody dark in the room. Arno closed his eyes as the memory flooded back.

_There was a creak of a door opening, making both men turn, as in walked a very wet and soggy Ice Cream, water dripping everywhere from his large coat which Green Coat, once putting the candles down onto the table, began to help him out of._

_"You got it?"_

_Ice Cream looked up smirking at Axe, his wavy hair hanging damply around his face, clinging to his cheek bones, as he handed something wrapped in a tanned piece of leather to Green Coat._

_"I got it."_

Arno snorted.

Another piece of the puzzle solved.

"Through our research, we believe this lion is a sort of key, to the main vault that could be hidden under Halicarnassus. However, there is a crazy problem," Frederic smiled, "Can any one see it?"

"Yeah it's wearing green, and won't shut up," a man next to Arno muttered making Arno shoot him a look and for the first time since joining the Assassins, he wished they were more like the disciplined Templars. Such mutterings would not be tolerate at a meeting formed by the Order. It was only after he realized why he left that organization did he then begin to feel sick. Arno padded his breast pocket where his black diary was.

"...Where's its other eye?" a young male voice called.

"Exactly," Frederic said taking the statue and walking in front of the desk with it, "Originally this statue had two diamonds for eyes. But as things happen, the stones were removed and as history hints at; cast into other things."

"We need groups of you to hunt for the other eye-" Axe said.

"You're kidding, right?" another male voice, said, "It could be anywhere, _in_ anything. The amount of jewellery there is out there, and how will we know it's the diamond from this lion-"

"You'll know," Frederic's voice cut into the air hauntingly.

"Why is this Lion so important again?"

Arno blinked. He was becoming more confused as the explanation continued, but he narrowed his eyes, trying to concentrate. Didn't Axe say seven of them were to go to Turkey? He had a strong gut feeling he would be one of the seven.

"Like, I said, it's a key, " Frederic said in response to the question from the crowd of Assassins, "And a very old one at that, I had a look at the markings, as one of you pointed out and this form of writing is only found in a place called Antinopolis-"

There was a very loud gasp from one of the members on the stage.

 The entire room looked over to stare at Ice Cream, his blue eyes wide open in either horror or surprise, Arno couldn't tell. The Lock Picker blinked, realizing he was now the accidental focus of the room, before he went bright red and waved at Frederic to continue.

"Also...," Frederic said, looking back at the room as Arno watched Ice Cream leave the stage. Arno frowned with concern. The man looked like he was about to faint.

"Have you not noticed the weather recently?" Frederic asked, eyebrows raised, making the entire room look back to him.

Arno was only partly listening as he saw Ice Cream quickly make his way out of the room. He saw Green Coat look at Axe, who thumbed to the door to follow mouthing "follow him", before the green coated young man also left the stage.

"First it was heavy down pours of rain, then hot dry weather last summer, then a hail storm a few weeks back, none of your thought that was odd?"

Arno wasn't listening anymore as he saw Green Coat dash out, unseen by the rest of the audience whom all had their attention on Frederic.

"How do you know?" another new male voice demanded of the De la Vert Assassin, "you weren't even in the country!"

"My wife keeps a very through journal," Frederick winked at the heckler and continued on, "why, my brothers and sisters, do you think half of France is starving right now? "

Arno looked to his left and right, trying to see the best way to exit.

"The harvests have near enough failed for two years running, hording flour aside..." Frederic continued, frowning under this shoulder length black and grey streaked hair, "And our government, and King, won't ask our neighboring countries for food, for what? Fear of an invasion and humiliation? "

"Indeed," Axe said stepping up to the table as Arno slowly got out of his seat, nodding to a few Assassins near him that he had to leave, "I used to be a farmer and trust me, these past two years, I've never seen weather as odd as this. No rains have come when they were meant to, and I don't know about the rest of ya, but that last winter we 'ad was bloody brutal."

Arno made his way through the crowd, hearing them agreeing with Axe. Arno smiled apologetically as he squeezed his way through the bodies, inching to the door where Ice Cream and Green Coat had left, not knowing if Axe or Frederic were noticing his movement. But he didn't care for the feeling of being left out yet again crept up into his mind, demanding Arno's soul attention as he moved to rectify the problem.

"What if..." Frederic said, putting a hand onto the table, looking up to the heavens thoughtfully, "and this is a big _if_ , but what if say...you had the heavens at your command? What would you do?"

There was a confused and deathly silence as Arno reached the door and disappeared out of it, seeing Ice Cream and Green Coat standing at the very end of the empty corridor.

"What do you mean?" Camille asked.

"Pretend you could tell the skies when to rain," Frederic said, "Thus, you can tell the earth when crops and life will grow. Pretend you could tell the sky to hail, thus damaging said crops and causing wide spread famine. Pretend you could even tell the clouds to snow. Pretend that even the water in the wine the Assassin standing next to you just drank, is under your command...and pretend..." Frederic said turning to the Assassins with a dark look, " that everything I just said is happening right now."

Arno carefully inched his way out, feeling the hair on the back of his neck suddenly stand on end, quickly casting a glance back at the room expecting people to be looking at him, but all eyes were on Frederic.

"Water is the most important resource on this earth," Arno heard Frederic say as he slowly closed the door of the room behind him with a small click, "...control it...," Frederic said, turning the lion's face to stare at the audience, "...and you would be in command of the most powerful Piece of Eden to ever exist."

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the Author:  
> Please pardon the three week delay of this chapter; this was due to work related reasons and also personal research on the matter of The Fountain of Salmacis and of The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.
> 
> History Note:  
> The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was (and still) is a real place, along side The Fountain of Salmacis, in Turkey. It was built in 353BC and destroyed after 12th Century. Where as the real Fountain of Salmacis is now believed to be under water due to changing sea levels, Halicarnassus can still be found, however due to earthquakes over the ages, only ruins remain of the once impossibly huge and impressive building. But fragments from this, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, can be found at the British Museum; three huge white lions being among them.
> 
> For more information on the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, please see the Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mausoleum_at_Halicarnassus
> 
> For a visual guide on the Lion Statue that Ice Cream owns, I based the description partly off of one of the Halicarnassus lion fragments that can be found at the British Museum: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=460576&partId=1


	19. The Grass is Always Greener

~

"Ice Cream!" Green Coat called as he sprinted after the taller man, who had come to a stop at the top of the long, dark corridor and was pacing backwards and forwards. The twenty-two year old came to a jogging halt and cocked his head in confusion at his lover's odd behavior.

"Ice Cream?"

Ice Cream didn't answer as he continued to pace across the dark and moon lit corridor, his long tanned over coat swishing from side to side as he hit the wall, turned and paced back the way he came to the window opposite. Green Coat watched him do this a couple of times more before he reached out and touched his partner's arm gently, the contact making the taller man pause, seeming to break him out of his trance.

"Hey," Green Coat said softy, with a worried frown, "Are you alright?"

Ice Cream put his hands on his hips, looking at the floor, before he nodded, looking up at Green Coat with a small smile, "I'm more than alright, except..." he said with a wince, squinting at the nearby window, "I think...I think I'm getting a headache-"

"Green Coat!" they heard a voice calling and Green Coat suppressed a grunt of annoyance. He turned slowly and saw Arno jogging up to them, with a questioning look.

"Is everything all ri-"

Arno stopped just short of them as he saw Green Coat shake his head, motioning to the other young man not to brother them. The former Templar paused, looking up at the Lock Picker who had begun to pace once more. Arno nodded from under his blue cowl; the two men wanted to be alone. Somewhere in his mind, Green Coat's recent behavior of staring at an empty wine glass and up at the ceiling in the meeting room, came back to Arno and the ex-Templar wondered if being around said man right now was such a good idea...

Arno was about to turn back before he saw the copper haired man behind Green Coat rub his temple with an intake of sharp breath. Arno locked eyes with Green Coat and nodded an indication at Ice Cream, silently asking the younger man if the elder one was truly alright, to which Green Coat nodded hesitantly, looking back at his lover who was looking down at the ground, massaging his forehead.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Arno cleared his throat, "I'll get you some water," he tactfully offered and turned, not looking at Green Coat as he left.

The green glad young man watched his blue coated team mate leave before looking back at his partner, face frowning in naked concern. Ice Cream's skin was becoming paler by the minute and he was rubbing the side of his head more, eyes clamped tightly shut.

 "You're going to faint," Green Coat said staunchly, taking the older man's arm with a quiet, "come on," as the young man gently pulled a dazed Ice Cream towards the library. Green Coat began to muse as he escorted the other Assassin around the corner and into the large library, thanking the Fates that they were on the right floor to begin with. He cast a nervous frown at the man leaning on him. Ice Cream had only fainted twice before, in all the time he had known the other, and both were when he was sick with the persistent "stomach troubles." But as far as he knew the troubles were not currently present and had not bothered the Assassin in a while, except that time at the tavern and just before they departed said pub HQ.

Green Coat continued to remissness as he opened up the door to the library, helping the other in.

Upon their first few months together as an intimate couple, Green Coat had woken one morning to find specs of blood on the sheets. Shocked and horrified, he had asked if he had hurt his lover during their love making, but the man shook his head saying his body, on extremely rare occasions, would mimic something akin to menstruation. He was duel-sexed and even though he had, what doctors in the distant past had told him, a "suspected internal feminine mechanism" along side a "defunct birth canal" this discharge of blood would still happen from time to time. Ice Cream had laughed under his breath and said to Green Coat that anyone who was to look at him starkers would confirm he was very much male. But internally was another story. It was rare for the thirty-six year old Assassin to suffer from it, months and months would pass and there would be no "phantom" period. Ice Cream had said the longest stint of absence was an impressive eight years. But seeing as Ice Cream had never fallen pregnant in all the time they had been together, making love with every part of their bodies, Green Coat had wondered why the hell the man's body would even try to imitate a woman's monthly cycle in the first place, defunct birth canal and all. But Ice Cream had shrugged and told him that it was just the way it was. How _he_ was. Which, now Green Coat thought about it, didn't change how he felt towards his lover in the slightest.

 ~

 Arno jogged back to the large stately room he had just left and paused at the closed door. There were voices coming from inside it, meaning Frederic's meeting was still going on. Hmm, twas probably best not to interrupt again with his shuffling of getting back to his seat. Besides, he already had gotten most of the information from the meeting; Templars wanted a lion statue that comprised of a couple of diamonds that may or may not kill people. Seven from the Brotherhood were to go to Turkey next week to visit the gender bending Fountain of...of...something or other, and there was the Mausoleum of Halikar...halika...

Arno frowned as he left the door and continued down the corridor.

He'd have to write these names down. No matter, he mused as he made his way down into the lower floors, hunting for water pitchers, he would double check his facts with Axe and the others later. After searching a couple of nearby rooms and finding oddly nothing that resembled a container for water, Arno made his way to the ground floor for the one place he knew would guarantee results. He stopped at the entrance hall, noticing how eerily quiet it was. Arno tested a cough, ears picking up the echo bouncing off of the walls. He coughed louder, as he continued his journey hearing the sound equally louder. Good, it seemed his hearing skills were up to par. Hmm, it might be a good idea to get some training in considering he had been distracted of late, he mused, ears still picking up on which walls soaked up his voice and others which bounced the noise off-

"Excuse me, young man..."

Arno stopped with a start, turning on the spot towards the tired and ancient sounding voice, seeing a figure, an old man from his appearance, heavily wrapped up in an old brown and scarlet traveling cloak, slightly bent over with a walking stick in hand.

"Could you tell me if I am too late?"

Arno blinked, he hadn't heard the man come in. Yes, he really needed to catch up on his training. If he couldn't hear this old guy shuffling in then his skills as an Assassin were indeed becoming rusty.

"Pardon, Monsieur, but I don't think I've had the pleasure?"

"Ah..." the man said in a raspy chuckle from under his heavy coat and large cowl which was concealing most of his face, "I'm a late comer, I'm afraid you must forgive my appearance, I don't look very muck like an Assassin these days..." he smiled, his kind voice gravely with age as he held up a hand, "Have no fear, I am not a Templar, but rather an old man who can't keep track of the time for important meetings."

"I know the feeling," Arno smiled, feeling the pocket watch heavy in his other breast pocket, "The meeting is upstairs, but I fear it's mostly over."

"Oh, what a shame," the old man said looking down at the floor, "Well, no matter, I shall make my way there anyhow."

"Do..." Arno asked looking at the tall and imposing staircase before casting a glace back at the hunched over figure, "Do you need assistance?"

"No, no, but thank you, young man, for the thought," the mysterious figure said as the old man made his way to the bottom of the stairs, his ragged coat trailing along behind him on the marble floor, "That's why I have this," he said holding up his walking stick.

"May I inquire as to a name?" Arno asked, watching the man shuffle his way to the first step, putting a wrinkled hand on the railing.

"Ah, yes, how rude of me," the man said, not looking back as he began his ascent, "It's De La Vert, my brother you may have met already?"

Arno waited for the man to give his first name but all he heard were the slight grunts from the old man as he climbed higher.

"Another new face," Arno said to himself as he turned and walked to the cook's quarters, water pitcher still on his mind. He descended some narrow stone steps before reaching the underground passage and saw, with a surprise, Frederic coming out of the well lit kitchen.

"Fred-?"

"Oh hello, Arno!" the man said, shutting the door to the kitchen after himself, "Thought I might have a quick nip down here for some food, leave them all to stir upstairs. I believe I managed to ball them all over, after all, a trip to Turkey is going to be a long one and once the group gets there, who knows, but anyway, I hope you liked my presentation-"

"Oui I did," Arno said quickly, trying to get a word in edgeways, "but, I'm sorry, how did you get down here so fast?"

"I scaled the walls outside," the man said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, pointing to a small window in the dark and single candle lit corridor, "Bloody deal quicker than trying to fight my way through that throng upstairs, I didn't realize just how many Assassins we had!"

Arno nodded before his meeting just now with the old man in the entrance hall came to mind.

"Well, I just met another one, an older gentlemen who says he's your brother."

The color drained from Frederic's face.

"What?"

"Your brother," Arno said, not liking how disturbingly fast Frederic's face had gone from sheer joy to utter horror, "I just saw him in the entrance hall, he says he's sorry he's missed the meeting-"

"Where's Ice Cream?"

Arno blinked.

"In the library with Green Coa-"

Arno never finished as Frederic suddenly dashed passed him up the narrow stairs and was gone.

"...you're welcome," Arno added with a confused smile, blinking. Well that wasn't how he had expected Frederic to react. Wait, why was he asking where Ice Cream was? Arno shook his head. He might as well give up on trying to understand what the hell was going on with these Assassins. Arno looked around himself. Why did he come down here-? Oh! Yes, water. Ice Cream needed some water. He scoffed, Green Coat will no doubt scowl at him for taking so long. Well, whatever, better late than never. He turned and headed down the last of the stone grey steps into the well lit kitchen seeing the back of the cook hunched over a table.

"Excuse me, Mademoiselle, but may I have a pitcher of water-"

"Oh, there you are my boy! Was wondering if I'd ever see you again, are you settling in alright?"

Arno stared. In front of him was an older woman wearing an apron who he had last seen screaming at a bunch of guards outside their old apartment.

"MRS BRETON?!"

"Oh, don't look so surprised," the woman said laughing, bustling around the kitchen as she slung a half dirty cloth over her shoulder and wiped her hands on her apron, "What, all this time you thought I was some dithery old lady in the apartment next door?" she continued to chuckle, pushing him lightly out of the way as she shuffled over to a huge side cabinet that was behind Arno.

"Royals, eh?" she continued, opening up a large wooden and glass paneled cupboard, peering inside at the numerous kitsch colored plates, "I tell you, the amount of different sized plates and cutlery here will drive me crackers. Oh...," Mrs Breton continued, turning around and pointing a finger at a still very stunned twenty-one year old, "and tell that green coated young man I'm not impressed at how he covered our tracks back at the apartment. Assassins are meant to be discreet, not show off to everyone."

Arno blinked, mind numb, still trying to catch up with this new revelation.

"You're...you're an Assassin?"

"Oh, heavens, no," she chuckled, taking a large white ceramic jug from the cupboard and placing it onto the counter, "I'm an informer, I watch and tell you lot what I see, gossip and the like," she continued, not stopping, as she turned a nearby large tap on and filled the jug with water with a laugh, "Marvelous, I'm loving this new place, much better than the old one, they have clean water on demand here and everything!"

Arno continued to stare as the woman, mostly likely in her fifties a detached part of his brain noticed, continued to chuckle at the convenient plumbing arrangements.

"But," she said, turning the faucet off with a sigh, "...my late son, however, was an Assassin."

"Oh, I'm...I'm sorry...," Arno said, with a polite nod, some clarity getting through to his stupefied brain.

"Don't be, lad, he died doing what he loved. I would be lying if I said I don't miss him painfully everyday but," Mrs Breton said as she went over to the side and picked up a couple of mugs, putting them onto a silver tray, "he wanted to be an Assassin, like his father, for so long, I'm just glad they both got what they wanted for as long as they did."

Arno nodded slowly. Seemed Mrs Breton was an Assassin widow. He smiled sadly. The Templars were exactly the same. Many in the Order had loved ones, children, parents, brothers and sisters taken by the other side. It seemed senseless, both groups were mirrors of each other in all but an opinion. Suddenly Arno was very aware that those in the Order he had known might have been responsible for robbing Mrs Breton of her family. He frowned, blinking. Another reason to add to the list of reasons he abhorred his former group-

"Are you going to stand there and pretend to be a statue all day?" Mrs Breton laughed, as she came over with the tray, water jug and a few mugs on top of it.

"I'm...I'm just surprised, pleasantly so, that you weren't killed by the explosion," Arno said, taking the offered grey tray, "...I had been meaning to find you to apologize."

"Ah yes, young master Vincent has a nasty knack of blowing stuff up, I blame his father," she said before whispering, tapping her nose, "you didn't hear it from me but the apple never falls far from the tree."

Arno went to open his mouth but stopped.

Vincent?

Who the hell was Vincent?

He blinked.

Wait, was that...was that Green Coat's _real_ name...?

"I don't suppose you know how the newspapers took it? I didn't get a chance to grab one of Mirabeau's copies before I got here."

Arno mentally shook himself, trying to focus on what she was saying as he remembered the rolled up newspaper in Green Coat's boots, "If you're referring to the explosion then from what I remember, the newspapers believe Austria was the cause," Arno said with a small smirk, remembering how Axe had altered Green Coat's copy of the newspaper with some rather choice words before stuffing it into one of the young man's boots.

"Hah, as if," she cackled, "But that said, young man," she continued beckoning him to lean in closer, "Things are not as simple as they appear these days, my boy," she said sadly, shaking her head, "I over heard some of the Assassins saying that more troops have been seen on the border with Austria."

Arno nodded. Mrs Breton was indeed a very good gatherer of knowledge.

"You think War is coming?"

"Not coming, my lad, no," she said sadly as she shuffled her way over to the cabinet and closed it, picking up a crisp looking newspaper and handing it to him, "It's already here."

~

"Are you sure you're alright?"

Ice Cream nodded his head, a hand still to his forehead.

"Liar," Green Coat smiled playfully.

Ice Cream laughed, despite himself, and reached out for his young lover's hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

They were both sitting in the middle of the dark library, on one of the larger couches, with the Lock Picker lying down. Green Coat was sat at the bottom of the sofa, with Ice Cream's legs on his lap, untying the man's boots. The dark haired man, having carefully guided a dazed looking Ice Cream into the room, had shut the door and helped him over to the largest couch. As they made their way over, Green Coat noticed his lover looking at the books. "Leave it," he had playfully warned, "they aren't going anywhere, and you can't read them if you faint," to which Ice Cream had smirked and said in reply, "You know me too well." After successfully reaching the couch, Green Coat had grabbed as many cushions as he could and put them behind the Lock Picker's head, neck and shoulders, who nodded gratefully, collapsing into the pile. Automatically the younger man had begun to undo anything thing that looked too tight on the older man's body; his belt, coat and now his shoes, allowing Ice Cream's body as much relaxation and breathing space as possible.

"I, er, had a bit of a shock..." Ice Cream said after a long while, leaning his head back on the richly colored cushions, closing his eyes, as the Lock Smith successfully took one brown boot off and began undoing the other.

"I'll say, I've never heard you gasp that loudly," Green Coat said then added with a smirk, "In public, anyway."

Ice Cream chuffed a laugh, shaking his head, "You and your one track mind...I'm sure I was never that lustful at your age."

"Hey," Green Coat said, dropping the final boot onto the floor and removing dark socks, discarding them also, "Be careful, I have your toes under my command," he said as he pulled said feet back onto his lap, gently pressing the muscles of soft digits hearing Ice Cream moan pleasantly. Green Coat continued his ministrations, as he worked his way up each foot to the man's ankles, rubbing small circles with his thumbs, feeling all the tendons and grooves that made up his intimate team mate.

"Feeling better?"

"Oui," the tired answer came, "...the headache is fading too."

"Good," said Green Coat as he pushed his lover's trouser sleeves up and began to massage the man's lower calves, one by one. He chanced a glance at the door. Where the hell was that cocky sod with the water? Green Coat frowned, maybe Arno was just saying he was going to get water as a ruse to leave-

"Antinopolis is one of the places I've been researching."

Green Coat looked up as his mind snapped back to Ice Cream's sudden voice.

"Why is it so special?" The twenty-two year old asked continuing to massage his lover's legs.

"It's...hard to explain..." Ice Cream said with a long sigh, rubbing his head into the cushions, adding "Hmm, that feels good..."

Green Coat smiled as he continued. Ice Cream wasn't the only one who knew a bit about medicine.

"Oh, yes, I need to tell you something- hnn!" Ice Cream moaned as Green Coat pressed his thumbs to the soft arches of his sensitive feet.

"Is it urgent?"

Ice Cream shook his head.

"Then it can wait, you need to relax," Green Coat said, gently massaging the man's ankles again, before after a long while adding, "You feel so tense..."

Ice Cream didn't reply as the younger man heard very faint and soft snoring.

Green Coat rested his hands on his lover's feet as he too laid back on the couch. He didn't want to move, save for waking up the man, he needed to sleep. Actually, he mused, staring into the darkness, when was the last time he himself took a break? Hmm, maybe a quick snooze would be good. Frederic's presentation was baffling and to be honest, he didn't care much for theatricals. If they had to go to Turkey, then so be it. The lion's diamond light show was amazing and he wondered what would happen if there were two instead of one of it's eyes present. But at least now it made sense why Axe and Frederic had been secretive with Ice Cream. Turned out his lover had finally found the location to this Fountain of Salmacis. He had been surprised at first, thinking the book was an ancient made up story, but well, that might be so but the fountain was very much real. No smoke without fire, and all that. There had been records of men visiting pools and springs and odd things happening but...

Green Coat narrowed his eyes in the darkness as a thought came to him. Didn't Axe say that an elder brother had originally obtained the Lion statue? But, no, that couldn't be right. Ice Cream had said he himself bought it from a shop when he was younger.

Hmm.

Green Coat's mind snapped to another memory as his scowl intensified.

That stupid Assassin back at the meeting going on about He-Shes and the like. How disrespectful that twit was. He felt annoyance creeping up on him and Green Coat caught it just in time and willed it back down. If he kept mentally going down that route he would work himself up too much to sleep. Green Coat looked over at his partner asleep on the rest of the couch. Why couldn't people understand that being duel-natured actually happened in the world?

~

Ice Cream watched as the young twenty-one year old green coated man, he felt so much pull towards, left him. He had then watched as the storm came in. He hadn't moved from his spot sitting on the stone slabs near the stables and had no intention what so ever of moving, weather be damned. Here he could think, here he could process and here he could come to terms with what happened last night. He hated lying to the boy, but last night had left him aching all over and deep within, both emotionally and physically.

Ice Cream suddenly gripped the edges of the stone slabs as the deep seated ache between his thighs returned with vigor, the wave increasing. He drew a ragged breath in, teeth pressed down harshly on the root, before the pain intensified, crested, and then faded away as he breathed out. The Lock Picker continued to chew on the root, tasting the sap oozing out every now and again. He thanked the heavens for this medicinal bark. It dulled the pain but also provided him with peace of mind against-

A crack of thunder and lighting sounded a bit too close for comfort, making Ice Cream jerk his head up towards the skies. He slowly made to stand up, feeling the aching between his thighs threatening to hinder his progress, but he pushed on until the pain became too much and was forced to sit back down with a defeated grunt. The root needed more time to work. He looked down and blinked at the straw and mud covered ground, shifting some with his boots. Last night should never have happened, part of him scolded. But the other half was up on cloud nine and had been for a long while. Ice Cream looked to his right and saw the book Green Coat had left.

He felt overwhelmed.

Nervous, scared, ridiculously happy and at peace all at the same time.

Ice Cream blinked as a spot of rain fell onto the ground near his foot. He had woken up in the arms of Green Coat and two fierce emotions had immediately consumed him. He was beyond happy at seeing that younger man, who on the surface seemed so arrogant one minute but was, actually in truth, very tender. When he saw the Lock Smith next to him... he honestly had thought he was still dreaming. Ice Cream didn't see more rain drops hitting the straw and mud covered ground as he remembered watching Green Coat sleeping upon those first waking moments, his face that often wore a heavy scowl was gone and in it's place was true peacefulness that Ice Cream wondered if the man ever felt while awake. The Lock Picker had a theory that the scowls and dark looks were a mask that hid feelings and emotions too strong that Green Coat felt he couldn't share with anyone. But most of all, the one state of mind that gripped the thirty-six year old upon waking was the overwhelming feeling of safety. He couldn't explain it, but when he awoke to see Green Coat in bed with him, he felt that nothing could hurt him ever again. He had let Green know his secret because not only had he gotten to the end of his tether but his gut told him it was the right thing to do. Perhaps loosing his head and screaming at the poor boy wasn't the best way it could have happened, but he didn't regret doing the one thing that he never drempt of; voluntarily letting another in on his secret.

It frightened him.

After storming up the stairs he had ran flat out into his room, over to the wash basin and threw up. With shaking hands he had tried to clean himself as best he could, waiting for the utter shame and dread to wash over him at how he had cracked and given the man a lead and how stupidly hopefully he had been into thinking Green Coat would accept him as he was. But the harassment from Green Coat was smashing down his wall of self preservation, adding light to that dull spark of hope that never went away, so much so, that it grew too large for him to contain it, which, now he thought about it, manifested itself into his explosion of anger at the boy upon the stairs. It went against everything he had known and experienced in his life but yet... this stuck up and sour black shoulder length haired Assassin just didn't conform, didn't get the subtle or literal hints either from himself of Axe at keeping his distance and thus kept adding more light to that hope in his chest.

Ice Cream had stayed in his room after the shouting at Green Coat, forgoing dinner, not wanting to run the risk of bumping into the green coated young Assassin in the hallways as he curled up on his bed and willed his body into calming itself. He began to mentally prepare himself, with deep breaths, for the reaction that was surely going to come if the boy truly did read The Fountain of Salmacis, regardless of it's Latin coding. Green Coat was smart and would probably not sleep until he deciphered it. Then it would happen; the look of disbelief, the look of disgust, the look of revulsion that so many before had thrown his way upon finding out. But worst of all was the isolation that followed. Green Coat would pull away. Not speak to him, or worse, say underhanded words and names. In one swift motion, he had put into motion the act of destroying the one close friendship he had made outside of Axe's immediate family.

But, in the end, it never came.

He laid in his bed, mind alternating between dread and that small sliver of hope that Green Coat might not be like the others. He swallowed, trying to, despite himself, help that feeling of hope to grow. He started to evaluate all the times that Green Coat had been kind to him. All the looks, all the touches...even the moment when the man had kissed him. Ice Cream smiled. He was genuinely shocked that it had happened, but was so overwhelmed with happiness, he was struck mentally a blow as the past crept up and he automatically shut that feeling of euphoria down, knowing Green Coat would never ultimately accept him. He had gone down this route in the past and it had nearly killed him. Why would this twenty-one year old be any different?

He was still in shock, still preparing himself mentally for the revulsion even when the Assassin was sitting at the foot of his bed, hours later, book in hand, saying that nothing was going to deter him. Ice Cream had automatically put a hand under his pillow, feeling the weapon he had concealed there, just in case. Again, what over whelming proof did he have that Green Coat would accept him? He had to be sure, had to be certain that this wasn't some cruel joke. So when that spark of hope erupted in his chest at Green Coat's words, he had seized that feeling of hope in a painful vice, his hand lashing out and grabbing the green coated Assassin around the neck yanking him up to his face. He wanted the boy to see that spark of hope, wanted to know that the answer that came out of his mouth would turn that spark of hope into a raging furnace so hot that it would consume them both.

_“Say that again...” Ice Cream growled._

_Green Coat made his peace with God and dived into the abyss._

_“Nothing.”_

Ice Cream continued to stare at the floor of the stables, not really seeing it, his mind continuing on it's path.

_"You asked if your attraction to me was one sided..." Ice Cream said, not letting go of the scruff of the green colored jacket in his fist, his breath ghosting across the twenty-one year old's face. "I hope this answers your question," Ice Cream growled and captured the others lips with his own in a fierce kiss._

He had pressed his lips to the others so hard that he hoped Green Coat could physically feel that spark of hope bloom.

Ice Cream bit down on the root.

It wasn't until Green Coat had tried to remove his sleeping trousers did that spark of hope begin to die down.

_“It's one thing to read a book...,” Ice Cream said, swallowing._

The final test.

The final proof that the twenty-one year old accepted him, mind, body and soul. He had held the Assassin's wrist in his hand, trying to mentally tell him that there was no going back after this.

_“Oh my God...”, Green Coat breathed making Ice Cream look away._

That light of hope had died to an ember. Ice Cream felt it physically wither, but not go completely. But as the silence had intensified the ember grew colder and colder still until he couldn't feel it anymore. He had blinked in the darkness and conceded. Green Coat was just like the rest. Saying that it didn't bother them but when presented with the physical truth, suddenly couldn't accept it. He felt his own arm reaching out to cover his body with the duvet, painfully resigning himself to the familiar fate. He felt liquid at the corners of his eyes. How and why had he let this one get so close?!

Time stopped when Green Coat had touched him. His body left him as he shuddered at the intense feelings coursing through his body.

_"...you're...you're..." Green Coat breathed in wonder, swallowing hard, withdrawing his hand from Ice Cream's crotch and looking at the clear and moist evidence on his fingers in the moon light, before he looked down at the Assassin with wide eyes. Something deep and unspoken shot between the Lock Picker and the Lock Smith's eyes for a fraction of a second before Green Coat's mind got the message loud and clear. He suddenly bent down and slammed his lips to the others, who moaned into the frantic and bruising kiss, pushing his body up to meet Green Coat's._

The light of hope exploded in his chest, consuming him, as that wall of self preservation came crashing down. Green Coat wasn't like the others! How he had so stupidly and so willingly tried to extinguish that hope. At the end of their intense copulation, Ice Cream had held the man close to him suddenly feeling pangs of guilt; guilt that he had condemned Green Coat from the outset before even hearing one word of reproach from the young man. When Green Coat even became the champion of that hope, the taller man would try to sabotage it. The past was too painful to repeat and the friendship they had was safe.

But...

 Ice Cream had, after their consummation, realized with horror and without a shred of evidence against the boy, already condemned him.

He was wrong.

Green Coat was honest and meant every word: Nothing would change his mind.

_"I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." Ice Cream breathed with raw vocal cords as Green Coat fell into darkness wondering why Ice Cream was apologizing._

Another crack of thunder sounded making Ice Cream look up, jarring him from his vivid memories. He looked at the dark root, turning it around in his hand to use a non-gnawed part when he saw movement up ahead and quickly yanked the bark out of his mouth. Ice Cream quickly hid it behind his back as he saw a couple of resident Assassins running into view. The girls were laughing and shrieking animatedly as the rain and thunder rumbled onwards. One he recognized as Camille, a friendly and chatty young woman who he had known since arriving at the Parisian Assassin Head Quarters. He hadn't seen her in a few months but from the look of her gear, it was apparent that she had returned from a long mission away. The other woman next to her, a great deal shorter than Camille, he wasn't sure of. They saw him watching them as they quickly turned a corner into the main building out of the rain and waved. Ice Cream raised his free hand in greeting, the other hand out of sight. He watched as they darted into the main building, shrieking again as another boom of thunder clapped overheard, before he breathed more easily. He didn't want to answer questions about why he was chewing on something only reserved for female Assassins-

"Ya' know the library is warmer," a kind and gruff voice off to his right called, making Ice Cream flinch before slowly looking round. Ice Cream looked as to where the axe-holding man was gesturing and Ice Cream quickly picked the blue book up and put it inside his coat, beyond grateful the title of the book was facing the slabs. He kept the root hidden behind under his sleeve, slowly shoving it up further into the fabric of his cuff, out of Axe's view.

"I've known you long enough Ice; you only sit out here when ya' pissed off at something or someone," Axe said leaning his back to the stable's outer wall as small droplets of water began to fall in between the gaps of the over hanging roof.

"So which is it? The latter or the former?"

"It's nothing..." Ice Cream said, ever so slowly moving his fingers that had been positioning the medicinal bark back down to his lap, pulling and smoothing his coat out nonchalantly.

_"For what it's worth, I don't think you any less of a man."_

Ice Cream closed his eyes as Green Coat's honest voice sounded in his mind, his memories wanting to come back to him to be evaluated even as the larger man near him, unknowingly, began to distract him.

"Come on," Axe said looking behind him as the rain began to fall freely now, flicking his brown hood up over his head, taking his cue from Ice Cream's silence, "I need an extra pair of hands in the workshop, rain be damned."

Ice Cream breathed in before standing, feeling the pain abating. He wrapped his coat tighter around himself, pulling the tanned hood up and over his face as he moved, forcing himself to walk normally as Axe went on ahead into the rain.

When they reached the empty workshop, both rather soggy, the rain was coming down in heavy sheets.

"Bloody hell!" Axe had shouted, jumping into the workshop, when the rain suddenly turned into very loud hail, then back to light rain just as quickly, "Soddin' weather doesn't know what it's doin.' "

Ice Cream kept silent as he took off his wet tanned overcoat and draped it near the furnace to dry out. When finished, he moved to a work bench that, out of habit more than anything else, he tended to use. He automatically hunted around for the second tool bag he had stashed away and stopped. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the lock that Green Coat had been working on when they first kissed, lying abandoned on another table.

_"I used a trick you taught me, Ice Cream. See?"  
_

Ice Cream closed his eyes, trying to will the younger man's haunting voice away from his mind and breathed deeply, feeling his inner thighs beginning to ache again as he deliberately pulled his tools out of the small bag and began to prepare his bench. He was only half listing to Axe explaining that a few of the Novices had broken the training swords and seeing as they were needed again very soon, had to get them fixed, hence why they both were now in the workshop.

"I would tell 'em to fix it themselves, but you know Novices, can't tell their arse from their nose."

Ice Cream nodded, not really listening and after half an hour was glad for this distraction. Soon, as the hour progressed, along side his discreet chewing on the root, when a wave of pain would begin to swell, his aching finally dulled until he couldn't feel it any longer. But as time progressed, the two men were laughing and talking about various Assassin matters when suddenly an ember from the furnace flew up and hit the Lock Picker in the face, who turned sharply from it, putting a hand up to protect his face. He squinted at the light, backing away. Damn, he shouldn't have put that extra piece of wood into the fire-

"What's the meaning of this?" Axe said, making the tall copper haired man look around and saw the bearded man picking something up off of the floor, standing and turning a brown half chewed root in his hand.

Ice Cream averted his eyes, body frozen.

"Oh my God, " Axe sighed at the other man's silence, turning away, brow creased in annoyance as he closed his eyes, "Did you sleep with him?"

"Axe-"

"I said," the huge bearded man snarled, turning his full soul piercing stare at the other man, "...did you sleep with him?"

Ice Cream went to open his mouth but was too late.

“Because you don't need me to remind you how dangerous that is, not to mention idiotic-”

"How is that any of your business?" Ice Cream shot back, now looking straight at the man, all fear gone. Axe had been the chief builder of that mental wall of self preservation that the Lock Picker would be eternally grateful for. The man had saved his life on more than one occasion and he knew the larger Assassin only meant well. Axe also knew what he had been through in the past and had promised him nothing like it would ever never happen again. Ice Cream appreciated the warnings Axe had given to Green Coat but the boy had proved himself, he wasn't a threat anymore.

Axe fixed him with a stare.

"The boy is barely out of his teens and you want to risk saddling him that responsibility?!-"

"Says the man who was over joyed at becoming a father at nineteen.”

Axe violently threw his tools down with a loud crash, eyes not leaving the Lock Picker as he stormed up to the copper haired man, towering over him.

 _“You want to bring up the past, Ice Cream?”_ the man growled, his voice deadly as Ice Cream stared up at the hulk of a man, “Has it been so recent that you've forgotten?”

“How _dare_ you,” Ice Cream said in an equally deadly whisper, eyes not leaving Axe's, “I will _never_ forget what I did for you and your wife..."

The two men stared at each other, breathing heavily.

“Do not think I don't mourn them too, ” Ice Cream finally said, his voice quiet, "I may not have loved her in the same way you did, Axe. But I miss her and the child all the same..."

Axe stared at him unblinking.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Ice Cream wondered if being Axe's student is where Green Coat had learnt his dark scowl from.

"So what?" Axe's voice cut him off like a knife in the dark, "You latch onto the first person who shows you a scrap of interest?"

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that," Ice Cream said quietly again, before turning his back on the man, resuming his smithing. He picked up some more wood and threw it into the burning coals.

“The boy cannot be your lover,-”

“He's not a boy," Ice Cream said turning around, with a intense frown, anger beginning to roar up to the surface, "and what's it to you if he is my lover?"

Axe stared at the man, still not blinking as Ice Cream blinked and looked away, breaking that intense eye contact.

“The past has gone, Axe," he said softly, "It died in the house fire with your wife and son. You may want to continue feeling like your life is over," Ice Cream said sadly as he locked his sky blue eyes with Axe's earthen brown ones, "but do not condemn myself or Green Coat as well...”

Axe was like a statue, staring, never blinking at him until he opened his mouth.

"I cannot believe," the deadly voice said, "that those words just came out of _your_ mouth."

Ice Cream stared, unwavering, not taking the bait.

The silence intensified.

Ice Cream began to breath faster, his skin crawling at how close Axe was to his body and how that man was looking at him. He could feel the anger pulsating from the taller man and wondered if he should arm himself. Ice Cream began to mentally locate the nearest weapon to himself before his old friend broke the silence.

"You know what?" Axe finally said, pulling off his heavy leather gloves in harsh yanks, "Sod the pair of ya'," and threw them into the furnace, storming off into the rain, towards the main building.

Ice Cream watched him go before swearing.

He should never have left that damn stable.

Ice Cream watched the fire crackle as it began to merrily devour the offering of tanned gloves. He began to shake in anger as he turned around to pack up his work before he felt a stab near his chest. He looked inside his coat pocket and saw The Fountain of Salmacis book; one of it's corners was pressing against his chest.

_"I'm impressed, it took me all of ten minutes to read that."_

  Ice Cream felt his heart clench painfully, ripping the book from his pocket, storming over to the furnace, hating that arrogant green coated bastard's voice, pulling his arm back to throw this fucking book into the fire-

 _"Nothing will keep me away from you_."

_"Nothing?"_

_"Nothing."_

Ice Cream paused, hand in the air, before he slowly lowered it with a defeated sigh. He looked at the front of the book, seeing the fountain and it's two lovers in its waters. He blinked, sadly. Sleeping with Green Coat had opened up old mental wounds and brought hope where he thought none no longer existed. So why did a feeling tell him things were only going to get worse before they got better? His stomach began to growl as he saw the rain was stopping. Well, he had no need for this book any more, best to put it back. He'd grab some food and replace the book in the library again. The Lock Picker made sure his tools, and Axe's, were put away before setting out. Five of the six swords had been fixed, but it would have to do. He pulled the tanned overcoat back on over his white shirt, put the cowl up over his face and walked out of the workshop, not realizing a man with a blue hat and feather was following him.

~

Ice Cream jerked awake with a snort. He looked around in the darkness, expecting to see an angry Axe and tools but there was none. He blinked, forcing his breathing to a calmer register and saw Green Coat was next to him, asleep on his hand. He paused, breathing hard. He hadn't had a flash back in a while. He looked over and saw his young lover asleep on his knuckles, elbow pressed onto the chair's arm rest. Ice Cream smiled sadly. If only Axe knew, only moments after their argument, how his feeling of foreboding was to be proved true...and how much Vincent had tried to save him- Ice Cream breathed in a sharp breath, slamming down the shutters in his mind as the hints of horrific memories rose to the surface. Desperate to distract himself, he gently pulled his feet from the younger man's lap and turned over, so his head was now in Green Coat's lap. He smiled feeling warm and safe, smelling the earthen scents as he snuggled closer. He knew Axe was only trying to protect him, and he was grateful now that the older man had finally accepted their relationship, their past aside-

"Hmm," Green Coat woke with a smile, bringing a hand over and threading it through soft and rich copper colored locks, "...you're suddenly very cuddly," Green Coat mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.

"When am I never?"

Green Coat smiled tenderly and reached down to press his lips to his partners. Ice Cream leaned up to meet him and it wasn't before long that the twenty-two year old had hauled his body on top of the Lock Picker, hands from both men fumbling with belts and grunts, as Green Coat moved, trying to get into a better position, shifting his weight and knee to the side of the couch-

~

"War is already here?"

Mrs Breton nodded, solemnly, adjusting her spectacles.

"How?" Arno asked with a frown looking up from the newspaper's headline of, "PRUSSIAN TROOPS SEEN NEAR BORDER."

"Well, I hear, from Mirabeau of course, that France is seeking conflict. That Austria and Prussia are set on War with France too. But not just them, no, Spain and England seem all too willing to invade."

"In the middle of a Revolution?" he asked, making a face of disbelief. He had heard similar rumors but they were just that, rumors. Anyway, to think that a country that was suffering from upheaval would willingly declare war on another was absurd.

" _Because_ of the Revolution. If you have one country that is throwing a wobbly, how do you think it's neighbors are going to react?"

"If France declares War..." Arno couldn't continued. "No, I'm sorry, mademoiselle, it's just too improbable. Surely the King's troops are too busy keeping things at home from falling apart. And the National Assembly's army, they are too busy fighting the King's army and...."

Mrs Breton looked at him sadly.

Arno cleared his throat.

 "How is Mirabeau?"

"Oh he's fine, fine. Looking forward to seeing you both again," she said with a smile. "It might not be my place to say, but no doubt you've been told, that François and his mother are coming to stay?"

Arno squinted and then nodded, remembering Ice Cream's promise to the teen that once the group of men were settled then the teen and his mother would be sent for. An image of François wrapping a  blue ribbon around his arm came to him.

"And Francois," Mrs Breton cooed, "lovely boy he is, such clear blue eyes like Monsieur Ice Cream-"

There was a very loud thump above them.

"Rats, they get bigger by the day around here, I swear," Mrs Breton said shaking her head at the celing as Arno furred his brow. That sounded much heavier than rats.

Suddenly the door to the kitchen was shoved open and behind it was a beaming small girl with hazelnut eyes.

"Arno, Joice! Come, come!" the girl was beaming, eyes wide.

"Oh my goodness, Alexina!" Mrs Breton shrieked, holding a dirty dish cloth to her chest, "warn us before you leap in like that. It's enough to make me go starkers."

"Mademoiselle Joice, the sky it's... it's..."

"It's what?" Arno asked, frowning as the girl in the doorway continued to look possessed.

"Like a _diamond!"_ Alexina said breathlessly.

"What?" Arno asked and dashed out of the room after the girl, as Mrs Joice Breton huffed with a "Blimmin' Assassins always getting their knickers in a twist," before curiosity got the better of her, threw down her cloth defeated and left to join them.

~

"Argh, son of a bitch."

"Are you alright?"

Green Coat nodded with a frown, rubbing his hip, cursing at being thwarted a second time at coupling with Ice Cream. The Lock Picker looked at him and tried to suppress a laugh, but failed and snorted. Green Coat looked at the half naked man on the couch from his position on the floor and smirked in self amusement.

"Could you tell I was eager?"

"Eager enough not to know where the edge of the couch is," Ice Cream laughed out loud, before he put a hand over his mouth, trying to subdue his amusement, mumbling a "sorry" in between his chuckles.

Green Coat scoffed, pushing himself up, flicking back some shoulder length black hair as he composed himself once again-

There were loud and multiple hurried footsteps in the corridor outside.

Both men turned to the door.

Green Coat looked back at his partner and both shared a questioning look as more sounds of people running were heard on the floor above them. Quickly throwing on what clothes that had been discarded, they armed themselves, ran to the door and pulled the knob.

It was locked.

"What the hell?" Green Coat said, trying it again and giving the door a few more hearty shoves and pulls.

"You locked the door?" Ice Cream asked, eyebrow raised.

"No," Green Coat replied, scowling, throwing his weight again at the door, "It's-hmf!-It's been locked from the outside..."

There were shouts outside in the gardens below, along with thundering of feet now on the floors above and below them.

"What on earth is going on out there?" the Lock Smith heard Ice Cream say as the taller man ran over to the window. The younger ran up to the window too and saw people in the gardens all looking up at the night sky.

Both men looked up, out of the window, and lost their voices.

~

Arno jogged out of the large set of palace doors that opened up into the gardens, jumping down two steps at a time, seeing Assassins all jostling to get outside and the moment they did all eyes went upwards. Arno frowned as he saw men, women and children out in the make-shift village outside already standing on the spot frozen, some laughing and some horror stricken. When he finally reached the outside he cast his eyes up and blinked up into the clear night sky.

"Like light passing through a diamond..." Alexina said, who was also staring up in amazement, walked up to stand next to him. Arno didn't answer the girl's statement as all thoughts about the water for Ice Cream, Mrs Bretons's words of War and his hatred of Templars faded away, as he stared up at the incredible sight of the Aurora Borealis.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Twenty Coming Soon...
> 
> Author's Note:
> 
> Unfortunately I'm not a doctor or an expert in the field of intersex, however in my research and development into the physical biology for the character of Ice Cream; I have decided to base his form of intersex on two sources:
> 
> The first being something called True Gonadal Intersex. Broadly speaking, this is when an individual has evidence for both ovarian tissue and testicular (or both sets of tissues in one gonad). I have tried to stick as close to current scientific research in describing his condition, however for the future needs of this story, I have deviated slightly (as shown in how the character of Green Coat describes this). Menstruation can be very rare, if at all, in certain intersex individuals and I feel I must state that Ice Cream's written description does go against this.
> 
> My second source of information and inspiration is from a historical intersex individual called Herculine Barbin. She was born in 1800s France and assigned female at birth. However, her body became physically more male as she aged and was reassigned as male in her twenties.
> 
> Without wanting to give too much away, there is a second intersex character, who has already been introduced, who is more heavily based off of Herculine Barbin. As there is no one version of being intersex, I hope through her character I can portray another who is intersex. 
> 
> I know that some intersex individuals have been reading this story (I'm very, very honored!) and thus I wish to treat the condition of intersex with the respect that it deserves. I am not intersex myself and I apologize for my short comings if there are any errors in how I have portrayed the condition through the characters, but felt that I needed to let it be known that Ice Cream's biology deviates somewhat from real known cases, for story reasons.
> 
> Further Note: I've hit a plot hole in a later chapter that I am altering which is delaying the updating of these chapters as I smooth out the plot. 
> 
> Thank you for your continued patience :)
> 
> For more information on Herculine Barbin please see the Wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herculine_Barbin


	20. Whispers of Ice Cream

~

"What the hell...?"

"Come, let's get a better view," Ice Cream said off to Green Coat's right, reaching up to the window's frame and unlatching it.

Green Coat tore his eyes away with great difficulty from the light show above him and followed the taller man out into the oddly warm air. It wasn't before long that both Assassins had scaled up the front of the white decorative facade, making their way to the rooftop. When they reached it, they pulled themselves up, fingers curling around the brick work as they reached the blue tinted tiled top with Ice Cream offering a hand to the younger man below him at the summit. He hauled him up and both straightened, looking up again into the dazzling sky.

Green Coat stared up in a mixture of horror, confusion and wonder. Vibrant greens, yellows, reds, even purples, were snaking their way across the black sky like giant serpents devouring the stars.

"Fantastique..." Ice Cream whispered.

"Oui..." Green Coat said swallowing, "Incroyable..."

Both again fell silent as the lines in the sky began to sway slowly, sections fading in and fading out.

"I've heard stories of these lights..." Ice Cream said from behind him, making Green Coat turn, "Of people seeing them in the Americas and in Northern Europe, but never here in France..."

The tanned coated man had moved and was now sitting on a large swath of moss that covered a good portion of the semi-flat roof, neck still craned upwards. A few stray flowers and tall weeds, seeds blown up by the wind, Green figured, were scattered around making the leveled out section of the roof they were on look like a wild garden. Green Coat walked over and looked back up at the sky as he sat next to his lover, the moss making him feel like he was sitting on cushions.

"I wonder when it started...?"

Green Coat kept his mouth shut at Ice Cream's question. As beautiful as the lights were, he felt like he was being watched. Like something or someone was moving in on them from the shadows but he couldn't tell where from. He leaned over, seeing the ground below over the guttering, casting his eyes down, a slight wind blowing his dark hair and saw hundreds of people in the gardens all looking up. But not in their direction. He looked around from his position next to Ice Cream for any perceived threats but the only thing he could feel, aside from the man next to him, were the heavy lights above them. He saw movement off to the side and saw the small figure of Arno down below in the gardens, quickly turn and run back into the building with a women, who looked like that girl Alexina, following. He frowned. No others near him were running back inside so... nothing to be concerned about...probably...

The young man tilted his head back and looked up once more. He scowled. When did the lights start? He was prepared to bet it was right after that idiot Frederic had put the diamond into one of the Lion's eyes. But how? How could this be connect to it? Green Coat darken his scowl. It sure as hell was; this was too much of a coincidence to think other wise. The lion statue snarling at him, the dreams, the flash backs and now this? The more he thought about it, the more the statue was looking like a Piece of Eden.

"It's that statue," Green Coat said with bitterness, still scowling at the lights, "It's doing this."

Ice Cream turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"How?"

Green Coat looked at his partner, accidentally forgetting to smooth out his features.

Ice Cream got the message.

"Green, I agree this is unusual but...this is a natural phenomenon," he said gesturing to the heavens, "Granted it's rare, and the timing is... but....the lion, its a piece of rock. You saw Axe put that candle into the back of it, the light from the flame caused that diamond to make the lights-"

"You think this," Green Coat jerked his wrist upwards, "is a coincidence?"

"Yes and no," Ice Cream said, making a face of confusion, "I want to believe as much as you that the Lion has caused this but...if so, why would it do this? For what purpose? For us all to gawk?"

"To distract us..." Green Coat said, looking back up at the show with suspicion.

"From what?"

"Dunno...an ambush, or a..." Green Coat said, looking around him, "...or the beginnings of a curse-"

"A curse?"

Green Coat pulled a face at Ice Cream's disbelieving tone.

"Green you don't believe in them. I highly doubt this is a curse, if there was such a thing-"

"So what's causing this then, hmm? A _really_ big candle?"

Ice Cream leaned back slowly, studying his partner.

"What?" Green Coat snapped, only realizing he had after the sound left his mouth.

"I didn't know supernatural forces bothered you so much-"

"They don't-"

"So why are we arguing?"

Green Coat opened his mouth then shut it. He wasn't looking for an argument and was surprised Ice Cream was looking at him as if they were indeed in the middle of one. Well, he did just snap at the man, but he didn't mean it...He opened his mouth again, and just as before, shut it, looking away from his lover. He felt so confused and that feeling of being watched was intensifying. He wanted to point the finger of blame at the lion statue, that yes, this was causing it...but Ice Cream was right, if it was the Lion's doing then what was the point? To look pretty? To signal something? Could others in the countryside see this or was it just locally?

"It's a piece of Eden," he said into the air next to him. "Why else would the Templars want it so badly?"

"Frederic thinks it's a key-"

"Key my arse," Green Coat said a bit more forcefully than he had intended, "What does he know about keys? He spends all his time collecting music boxes or watches or some other metal works-"

"Didn't you learn your trade from him?"

The feeling of being watched suddenly spiked and Green Coat growled in anger.

"That man is crazy and a pillock, what was he thinking, bringing that diamond into a room full of bloody people after he said what happened to those Templars in Turkey?! We should throw that damn thing, jewels and all, into the fucking Seine. What ever door or power that lion is meant to unlock, it's not meant for us Assassins or Templars to control-"

"For someone one who says they don't believe in the Pieces of Eden or "any of that rot", you sure are getting worked up-"

Green Coat abruptly stood up and stormed away. Anger from God knows where was flooding into his system making him see red. Arguments between them were extremely rare; both men knew when not to push the other, but Green ignored the fact that out of the two of them he was most willing to break. Being too intense, Axe would say. But that said, he never got outwardly angry at his lover and didn't want to start now. His lover was right, Frederic had taught him his Lock Smithing trade as a child, but the man, once he highly admired, had turned soft due to the prospect of becoming a father. It was unsightly. He could remember when the man was ruthless and cool headed. He would joke and still be the father figure he missed so much, but he was an Assassin and a damn good one. Then it all went down hill when he was transferred over to Axe's care. The minute Frederic fell in love he began to change. Then when he got Camille knocked up finally turned into this windbag and showman. Is that what becoming a father felt like? It altered your brains? Maybe then it was best Ice Cream could never fall pregnant...

Concealing his trembling temper, he walked to the edge of the roof and squatted down on his haunches, picking at his brown gloves, letting out a sigh of frustration. That bloody statue. If he had known how pivotal that piece of rock was going to be to his and Ice Cream's life, he would have smashed it into a thousand pieces when he first saw it in his bag. That's how Assassins traditionally dealt with threats. Smash it first, ask questions later. First the Novices put it in his bag, then it apparently snarling at him, then...then...he swallowed. The statue was even present at the horrific event at the stables. Hell, it was the main reason why that monster had attacked them both in the first place. To steal it. To steal some worthless statue... Then after it had been taken, Ice Cream had managed to steal it back later. He felt hot anger boil again in his stomach at the memory that he had no idea his partner had gone after it. Alone. Axe had fobbed him off with some lie that Ice was out getting supplies but when he came back drenched in rain and saw that damn lion in the leather tube...they both had gone out side of the apartment to argue in some filthy alley way. They had never argued before or since. And now he thought about it, it was himself doing most of the shouting. Ice had kept to the upper ground, not letting his emotions get to him. A true model of an Assassin. He was thirty six, soon to be thirty-seven, had only been an Assassin for a couple of years and showed more maturity than someone who had been born an Assassin and trained all his life. But he couldn't get over how scared he had been that Ice didn't tell him, how he could have gotten hurt like before, how he would have gone with him if only his lover had been honest.

Then the truth came out.

Axe had told Ice Cream to lie.

 _That bearded fucker_ -

Green Coat, blinked, forcing his mind to calm, disturbed at how dark and aggressive his thoughts were progressing.

Yes, he had been scared at what Ice had done. Gone after the statue alone, into the pit of his attackers for all he knew. But he was an Assassin too, just like him. He had to trust the man, not keep a grip on him. If you love someone, let them go, isn't that what they say? And if they love you back, they will return again and again.

Green Coat looked upwards at the snake lights.

He hated that the thing was still around. The Templars had nearly killed them back in the HQ's stables and for what? A trinket. A stone trinket that his lover got from some random shop-

Green Coat blinked.

_"Now, originally we got this 'ere statue from an older brother over a decade ago. But long story short, bloody Templars got their hands on it a year ago when the old HQ went under. Until the legend that is Ice here," Axe said indicating to the copper haired man next to him, slapping him on the shoulder heavily, "managed to steal it back a few months ago."_

Green Coat blinked again with a frown.

_"Now, originally we got this 'ere statue from an older brother over a decade ago."_

No, that wasn't right. Ice Cream had said he'd gotten the statue from a shop when he was younger. Suddenly his stomach began to clench of it's own accord. Axe was never known to get his facts wrong. Sure he could have on this occasion, it wasn't impossible-

"I didn't mean to upset you..." Ice Cream softly said from behind him.

Green Coat remained squatting but looked up, following the progress of the other man as the copper haired man came over and hunched down next to him.

"No, the fault was with me," Green Coat mumbled softly, his brain not shaking the feeling that they were both being watched. When he failed at continuing his sentence, he reached out a gloved hand and took the others, squeezing gently as Ice Cream squeezed back reassuringly.

Contact.

He needed contact.

The feeling of uneasiness abated but didn't leave. The feeling that Axe was telling the truth began to outweigh and contradict what Ice Cream had told him. His imagination began to take over as his stomach jolted at the thought that Ice Cream had perhaps lied. He had done so about retrieving the lion statue. Wait, if that was true, did that mean he had been lying about other things?

Green Coat swallowed as he looked at the gloved hand in his grasp.

"...Vincent?"

The young man looked up, searching the Assassin's blue eyes, all thoughts of the lights above them gone. He had not heard his real name be said so many times until he told Ice Cream. But he never heard the Lock Picker mention it in public, for obvious reasons. But when alone, up here or in bed, the copper haired man would frequently call him by his birth name. He liked it, truth be told. How the man would say his name. The tone and intonation that came from no one else but Ice Cream. It made him feel close to his partner. So...so why didn't he know Ice Cream's real name? And _why_ was he called Ice Cream in the first place? He thought it was a joke name at first. But when Axe had called the Lock Picker this so many times, Green Coat had realized it wasn't a jest. A nickname, obviously but...why? He had always wondered but kept his respect and never asked...twas such a bizarre name, but it suited him. His own nickname of Green Coat was obvious from the outset.

But...

He felt it again.

He had to say something.

Had to ask.

Why did Ice Cream say he got the statue from a shop when Axe said to the entire Assassin populist that an older brother got it? True, his lover had gained it back in the days when Arno joined them but...

With all this uncertainty swimming around in his gut he coughed and steeled himself.

Ice Cream wasn't going to smile and shrug him off anymore.

"Can...can I ask you something personal?"

The Lock picker nodded.

"Why are you called Ice Cream?"

The man smiled with warmth.

"I was wondering when you were going to ask me...but where's this coming from?"

"Sudden curiosity," the younger man shrugged.

Ice Cream pursed his lips with a smile.

"Why do _you_ think I'm called Ice Cream?"

Green Coat smirked, despite himself, at the impromptu game.

"Well... I know that you don't gorge on such luxuries," he said, brushing his thumb absentmindedly on the others gloved hand. "Was...was it something...was it something that happened when you were younger?"

"Hmm, somewhat."

Green Coat smirked wider.

"You melt in the sun?"

Ice Cream chuckled.

"Some would agree. But no, try again."

"Hmm...," the young man murmured as he slowly slipped off the glove from Ice Cream's hand, taking his own off too and began tracing a circles on the back of the Assassin's hand.

"...because your skin is so soft?" he whispered, agreeing that touching the other man was so calming.

The Lock Picker laughed, shaking his head with a smile at the ministrations, "Arno thinks so."

At the mention of the other man, Green's eyebrows raised.

"He's asked you?"

"No," Ice chuckled more, "We were training one day and he touched the back of my neck. Was shocked at my, as you put it, "soft skin"."

Green Coat smirked again, taking that lightly peached colored hand and pressing his lips to it. He had always assumed that his lover was called Ice Cream due to his soft ways. With a scoff, he let the hand free and looked back at the gardens below them, subconsciously looking to see if that arrogant ex-Templar had come back out of the front doors. A few people down below were making their way back in, talking and still looking up into the sky pointing. He squinted. Come to think of it, he couldn't see Axe or Frederic either.

"I give up."

"So easily?"

Green Coat grunted, that feeling of uneasiness coming back to him as he saw none of the Assassin's they knew were in the gardens. They were both quiet for a while until the silence was broken by a soft voice.

"...Axe's daughter named me."

Green Coat snapped his head round.

"Axe's daughter?"

Ice nodded.

Green Coat smiled before it turned sad. He knew Axe once lived on a farm and was father to two children, or rather, had been. His infant son had died, along side his wife in a house fire many years ago, but... he always assumed the larger man's eldest child was male too.

"Why did she name you Ice Cream?"

"...it's...it's rather embarrassing," he cringed with a painful wince, "Promise you won't laugh?"

Green Coat made a face of curiosity, nodding.

"I...I...did something very stupid."

Green Coat frowned.

"What did you do?"

"I tripped..."

"What's so special about that?"

"And fell into a vat of cow shit-"

Green Coat couldn't contain his reaction.

"I'm glad you're amused at my past misfortune," Ice Cream said, shoving Green Coat in the arm, teasingly, "The smell was so bad, I had to sleep in the cow shed for a month-"

Green Coat was hunched over, laughing so hard no sound was coming out.

"Have you tried to get farm yard slurry out of your hair?" Ice Cream continued, making a face of disgust at the memory, as his lover continued laughing, "I nearly gagged, the stench was so bad. The cows didn't seem to mind though, which was just as well-"

Green Coat was on his back now, rolled over onto one side, gasping for air.

The copper haired Assassin watched with a smile as Green Coat rolled onto his other side, face pressed against the Lock Picker's own tanned coated thigh, shoulders shaking in mirth. His younger partner hadn't laughed like that in months and was glad that he could be the source of such good humor. Even if it was at his own expense, as he put a hand on his lover's head and gently stroked the long and thick black hair between his fingers.

"I'm sorry," Green Coat gasped with a snort, taking his face away from his partner's leg, "I'm not laughing at-"

"Say you're laughing _with_ me and I shall forgive you that you broke your promise of not laughing-"

"With, with," Green said, still letting smirks sneak onto his face every now and again, closing his eyes as Ice Cream's touches to his scalp soothed him.

"So... after trying everything to rid the smell, heck I even tried rubbing fish guts into my hair and skin, _anything_ would smell better than slurry. But nothing worked," Ice Cream sighed, scratching his head, "...until Axe's wife gave me some vanilla extract. It did the trick. I rubbed that stuff into everything until...," Ice Cream breathed in deeply, arms outstretched, "Ahhh, no more smell."

Green Coat pushed himself up to sitting, facing the Assassin.

"But that was years ago; so why do you still smell of Vanilla?"

"Old habits die hard, I guess," he shrugged. "But to be honest, I'm not entirely sure. True, I do keep extract of Vanilla, just in case..." Ice Cream laughed before looking up into the sky as he continued, "Axe said I should have a pseudonym upon joining the Assassins for my own safety, and his little one kept shouting "Ice Cream! Ice Cream! Vanilla Ice Cream!" every five seconds when she saw me, so it stuck. She was only five at the time, and I thought it was the most adorable thing..."

Ice Cream coughed as memories came back.

"This was before the fire...even afterwards...after losing her home, her mother and baby brother...she would still smile, begging me to pick her up, calling me "Ice Cream" even as I and her father said goodbye..."

"Why did you say goodbye?"

"Axe was bringing me to Paris to introduce me into the Brotherhood, I never told you this?"

Green Coat shook his head.

"Well, we left his farm, Axe brought me to the Parisian HQ, and..." he said looking back at the twenty-two year old Lock Smith with warmth, "that's when you and I met."

Green Coat smiled warmly back.

He knew some of this information prior, but was fascinated that it was Axe's child's playful nickname that was the reason. He blinked in realization, remembering that when he first saw Ice Cream he looked like a farmer that had been dragged off the nearest field. He coughed at the uncomfortable memories of his insulting Ice Cream.

"So where's Axe's daughter now?"

"Safe," he said, "Axe won't tell me where she is, but I know why he won't. Apart from myself, she is the only link he has back to his wife, so better for no one to know. Keeps her safe from our line of work."

Green Coat nodded, then felt his conscience prick.

"Why would it be dangerous for you to use your real name?"

"You don't use yours-"

"Yes, but I told you mine."

There was an intense silence.

"...Green-"

"What's your real name?"

"Vincent, stop-"

But the stubborn man didn't.

"I know that I've asked before and you don't or rather _can't_ answer me and I respect that, honestly I do-"

"Then why ask me?"

"Because I...," Green Coat swallowed, "Because I think you've been lying to me."

"What?"

"About the Lion statue."

Ice Cream frowned, cocking his head.

"What do you mean? I haven't lied-"

"You heard Axe at the meeting; he said that the statue came from a brother."

Ice Cream looked at him confused.

"Oui, it did-"

"And _elder_ brother, Ice Cream..." Green Coat said scanning his lover's face, "So why did you tell me you bought it from a shop as a teenager?"

Ice Cream blinked, continuing to look baffled, "Then...Axe must have gotten confused?-"

"I don't think so," Green Coat stared, narrowing his eyes slightly in concentration, trying to read the others face.

"I didn't lie..," Ice Cream coughed. "I got it from a shop, it was a present."

Green Coat's ears pricked.

"A present from who?"

It was then he saw it.

A dark shadow, one he had never seen before, passed over Ice Cream's face.

Something clicked in Green Coat's mind.

_An older brother bought it..._

"...holy shit," Green Coat breathed, eyes wide, "...it was an Assassin."

Ice Cream froze.

"An _Assassin_ bought it for you..."

Ice Cream bowed his head, his face being obscured by his cowl.

Green Coat watched as his lover began to tense but couldn't stop himself from letting slip the next sentence.

"But you were a teenager, what was an Assassin doing giving you presents?-"

The man bolted.

Green Coat grunted as Ice Cream shoved past him and tore over the side of the guttering. Green Coat blinked from his position on his back, realizing with numbness that the man's long coat tails had smacked him in the face. Blinking a few more times, he rapidly turned over onto his stomach and leaned over the side of the building, seeing the man scaling down, heading for the gardens.

~

Arno continued to look up at the sky as Alexina and a wheezing Mrs Breton stood with him. He had to admit, the lights were beautiful.

"Good heavens, I've never seen such a sight!" Mrs Breton gasped, putting her hands on his hips as she walked further into the gardens with the rest of the Assassins.

"Is the Lion doing this?" Arno leaned over and asked the girl next to him.

"Perhaps," Alexina said, twisting her head, brown locks falling around her shoulders, "Wait till Frederic sees this; he's going to have kittens-"

"ARNO!"

The boy turned and saw Axe running up to them, face red as a beetroot.

"Evening Axe!" Alexina beamed, "Come to look at the lights?"

"Sod the lights," he gasped, as he came to a stop, gravel flying in all directions and slammed a hand on the twenty-one year old's blue coated shoulder.

"Have you seen the other two?"

"No...?" Arno blinked, assuming the man meant Ice Cream and Green Coat.

"Shit, alright, next task, you two, come inside, I need your help." Axe gasped between breaths.

They didn't have a chance to ask as the bulky man ran back into the building the way he came.

Arno looked at his short friend who shrugged and both ran back into the building leaving the rest of the crowd and Mrs Breton still staring up at the lights.

"What's going on?-"

"It's Camille, she's having her littlin'- "

"What? But it's too soon," Alexina said as the three of them ran into the deserted entrance hall and up to the bottom of the large staircase.

"Aye, _way_ too soon, she's meant to 'ave another two months to go, but- ARNO!"

The boy stopped as the man spun to face him.

"Sheets, we need 'em. Go to the floor above and rip everything off from the first bed you see. Alexina," he said as he swung to point at the small girl, "I need you to go and get Mrs Breton and help keep Camille calm, got it?"

"Oui, Monsieur Axe," the girl stuttered as he pushed her off in the direction of the kitchens.

"No, Alexina, she was outside with us," Arno shouted after her as the girl nodded, bumbling her way to a stop, turned and headed back out into the gardens.

"Where's Frederic?" Arno asked turning to his leader.

"Buggered if I know," Axe said gulping in large amounts of air, "I can't find the stupid sod anywhere-"

"I'll help you look for him."

"Good lad, good lad," Axe breathed, again slapping him on the shoulder before seeing something behind the ex-Templar. "Mrs Breton," Axe said as the old lady came up to them, "It's Camille, her waters have broken-"

"Good Graces! Where is she?!"

"In a room at the end of the corridor, follow me," he said as Axe began to jog down the corridor, Alexina and Mrs Breton running after him in his wake. Arno just about heard Mrs Breton berating Axe for leaving the poor woman alone in labor just as they turned the corner and were gone.

Arno spun and dashed up the main steps, his mission of "find the bed sheets" starting. He ran into the first room he saw and saw only couches. Next room was the same. He ran up the main set of stairs, spying a room off to his left and was just about to open the shut door when he heard voices coming from behind it.

"-dare you come back here-"

"Frederic, my brother, I mean no harm-"

"After what you did? How can you even show your face-"

"I only wish to make amends, I need to see him-"

"I'm not letting you anywhere near the man-"

Arno blinked.

He knew those voices. One he could tell was Frederic's and the other sounded old and scared...wait, he just said brother? Was this the old man he had bumped into in the entrance hall? Arno pressed his ear more into the wooden white door as Frederic's venomous voice cut through the air.

"-and I'm damn well sure he doesn't want to ever see you again."

"I wish to apologize, to tell him how sorry I am-"

"You have nothing to say to the man, I'll make damn sure of that."

Silence.

"I'm tired, Frederic...I'm tired of carrying this shame, this guilt, not knowing what happened to him..."

There was silence again.

"You have _no_ idea what devastation your selfish actions left behind, do you?"

"Brother-"

_"Do you?!"_

Silence.

"What you put Iris through and the lives you blighted...he nearly _died_ because of _you_!"

Arno narrowed his eyes in concentration.

"Brother, _please_ , listen-"

"I have no brother and I have nothing more to say to you. Iris much less. If you so much as take one step outside this room, I'll kill you myself."

Arno quickly jerked back as the door's lock clicked and it began to open. He just about made it round the side of the corridor as the door burst open and Frederic stormed out, slamming the door shut behind him, bolting it. Arno blinked at how much the action reminded him of Green Coat, until he remembered with a jolt his mission. He was about to step out, acting like he had just arrived to tell Fred his wife was giving birth, when a shout came from the entrance hall. He looked over and saw Frederic lean over the banister.

"What is it, Axe?!"

"It's Camille, mate, get down 'ere!"

Arno watched as Frederic ran at full pelt down the stairs towards Axe, as the two men met and dashed down a corridor out of sight. The ex-templar looked to the door where Fred had just exited. He swore he could hear faint sobbing. Pushing the curiosity to one side he looked around and saw another room. He dashed into it and saw a bed with yellow and cream colors splashed across in geometric lines. Perfect. He ran in and began to drag the sheets off. When he had finished he turned and made for the corridor he had last seen Axe and Fred run down. As he made his way, thoughts returned to what he had just heard from the doorway. What was that about? Well, from the sounds of it, Frederic was arguing with that older man he saw which must be his brother...But who was Iris and what had the old man done? Why was he sobbing?

~

Green Coat vaulted over the side, jumping from one roof to another as he made his way down. That look he had just witnessed... he had _never_ seen that on the elder man. It was a look so dark and so...un-Ice Cream like, that it made the younger man shudder to his very core. Green Coat vaulted over a low brick wall, running into the more wild looking part of the gardens he last saw Ice Cream head in. He ignored how his chest wheezed at his search and thoughts continued. The man's teenage years...his lover never spoke of them. And he had just managed to accidentally confirm a character and event from that mysterious past. Green Coat jumped up onto a fallen log, squinting in the narrow light. He looked left and right, seeing it was deserted, all life was currently at the front of the palace staring up at the sky still. Green Coat cast his eyes up and saw the great green and yellow snakes still dancing lazily in the sky. The boy looked down at the ground and saw tracks, feeling his heart leap into his throat. He followed. Green Coat looked high and low but found no sign of his lover anywhere. He had followed the tracks until they hit an even more over grown looking part of the gardens and, undeterred, continued his search, mindful of any other Assassins or threats that could be nearby.

Half an hour passed.

"Maybe he's gone back..." Green mumbled to himself as he stopped his trudging through the undergrowth, feeling the thorns and branches of plants clawing at his waist. He grunted as he came face to face with a barrier, and hit that brick wall covered in ivy with the side of his fist. He should never have pried. Now he just wanted to say sorry. Sorry to his partner. The man kept his past close to his chest for a reason but he couldn't fucking let go of his curiosity. He looked up and frowned, pursing his lips. The end of the palace's gardens. Ice Cream couldn't have gone outside...could he? He was about to turn back when he heard it.

Crying.

It was faint but it was there.

And whats more; he knew that voice.

Green Coat felt his heart leap again into his throat, skin crawling with terror, chest clenching, as he turned back to shoved his fingers into the brick work and onto the vines as he picked his way up and over the wall. He gingerly climbed over the summit and dropped down. He heard crunching of leaves as he landed in thick swathes of wild yellow and orange grass, up to his waist, squinting in the darkness, thanking the light show above him for casting some illumination. He forced his ears to pick up on that heart wrenching sound he heard but it was silent. Crickets chirped happily as he waded his way through the grass looking for his lover. It was only after a few steps more that he noticed a section of the grass was missing. Green Coat made for it and when he arrived he saw a sight that took his breath away.

Ice Cream was lying on his side, curled up in a ball on the long grass that had been flattened where he lay. Green Coat slowly entered the small circle. He looked down and saw Ice Cream was asleep, his cheeks stained with streaks of water. Tears. Green Coat saw reflecting in them the lights above and something small and leathery was clutched tightly to his chest.

Ice Cream had been crying and he had caused it.

Green Coat made a face of pain as he turned his head away, cursing every fiber of his being. Ice Cream never spoke about his past. For a reason. Why did he keep pushing the man? How could he even try to comfort Ice Cream? He wanted to reach out, to curl up next to him, to help him to stop crying but the man didn't deserve him. Ice Cream deserved better. Someone who wasn't causing him pain or shouting at him or asking about taboo subjects. Maybe...maybe he should ask to be paired with another. Yes, Ice Cream needed a different Assassin partner. He had once done so, asking to be reassigned someone other than Green Coat.

The younger man hated how his instincts roared in protest at this plan as he turned and respectfully left Ice Cream alone-

"It's been over a decade," a small voice said, making Green Coat turn back, "...and...I'm still haunted..."

Green Coat looked back down with worry. Ice Cream was looking down at that small piece of leather in his hands, fingering it lovingly, eyes red.

"I won't ever ask again," Green Coat said staunchly, "I should never have trapped you like that, or doubted your word."

Green Coat looked up at the sky as silence was his reply. Not knowing what to say, he let flow.

"Being born into the Creed...once upon a time I used to believe that every Assassin was born into it, just like me," Green Coat said as he sat down on the edge of that long grass circle, not daring to get closer. "I forget that I am the exception. Most all of us join and begin a new life, having left the old one behind for reasons best kept secret. I am not wise or learned enough to remember this. I hope that one day I will...I will understand."

Ice Cream was silent.

"You left your life and joined this one. People have asked me in the past why I named myself Green Coat... why I tried to rid myself of the name Vincent...," Green Coat breathed in, "...because I was trying to get away from the past. Ever since I was little, I've been told I was part of a very important lineage. One that I should be proud of and live up to. But I hated it. I hated the fact my blood was seen as different to others. That's the reason why I was sent to train with Axe after Frederic. To become an example to the other Assassins when I came of age. But now I am of age..."

Green Coat sighed heavily, not knowing why he was saying all this.

"I'm surprised Axe hasn't started to put pressure on me to continue the line...but he will in time..."

He breathed in.

"We all have issues...and if I had known better, I would have understood that it's none of my business, for reasons that only you should know."

Green Coat rubbed his eyes.

Why the hell was he saying all this?

"I felt I had to sacrifice my name, all the good and bad memories that came with it, to fashion myself into something that was expected of me...I told you my real name...because I want you to be part of my inner circle, to know all of me..." Green Coat said, looking down at his own lap, not daring to look at over at his lover, "I want to be close to you..."

Green Coat close his eyes.

Here he was again, emotionally vomiting over the man.

Why could he never keep his mouth shut?

The fact Ice Cream had been sobbing was more painful to him than the anger upon the stairs or at any other time. He never intentionally set out to upset Ice Cream and hated the fact he had done.

Right, well seeing as he was waffling, time to get this all off his chest, then that would be it.

"I will never forgive myself for what happened to you at the stables...I know you say that it wasn't my fault, but for someone who's a Lock Smith...my skills let you down and I... couldn't save you."

His throat began to hurt.

"I've never had a relationship before...which...argh, I'm getting this all jumbled up..."

He picked at the grass, not knowing how to form the words he was trying to say.

"You mean the world to me...I just want to protect you so badly, to make up for what happened...I want to know you..."

Silence.

"I have so much to learn..." Green Coat continued, breathing in a ragged breath, knowing how immature he was in comparison to the other man, looking back up at the sky, not realizing Ice Cream's eyes never left him, "and I will always be grateful that you could ever find someone like me to be your lover...but most of all, I never want to take you for granted that you took a chance and became my...my..."

Ice Cream watched him, his tear stained eyes wide seeing Green Coat pour out his heart..

"You became my closest friend..." Green Coat tore is eyes away from the sky, feeling his nose hurting as liquid began to form in his eyes, "..and you're the only person who's ever understood me...and the fact you let me in on your secret...for that, I will always be in your dept..."

He heard the silence and knew what he had to do next.

He had to leave.

"I just want you to know who I am."

_It was for the best._

"That I'm sour, impulsive, obsessive, and that's on a good day..."

_To break up with the Lock Picker._

"I need you to know that this is the real me. And you deserve better, no matter how much I want to be by your side."

_He didn't deserve the man to be his friend, let alone his lover._

"But thank you for giving me the chance...I will always be grateful."

_What good was he to him if he kept upsetting the other Assassin?_

It was a few seconds later that he almost didn't feel the air move next to him, or that hand come out and gently pull his upper arm. So deep in his own sorrow, Green Coat didn't realize that Ice Cream had brought him into the circle.

"...come here..."

Green Coat scooted over, keeping his head low, wishing his cowl was hiding his face and not pushed back.

The voice was so unbelievably quiet.

But he obeyed without thinking, keeping his eyes cast down to the ground, not daring to look up and see more tears. He couldn't look at what he was about to give up; the most important man in his life. But it was for the best. If he had to keep away for good so that the man would be happy, then so be it.

Ice Cream lent on his side brushing dark hair from Green Coat's face as the younger man went to pull his emerald cowl up over his face before a soft hand came out and stopped him.

"I don't deserve you," the young man whispered, lying on his side, feeling the warm grass pressing into his face as he kept his eyes closed, surrendering.

Ice Cream looked down at him.

"Tomorrow, Ice Cream...I'll put in a request for another partner-"

He felt the Lock Picker put a finger on his mouth hushing him.

Green Coat blinked and cautiously looked up with a jolt as his own vision was blurry as he saw the older man lean over.

He felt the man's lips press against his ear.

"...Iris..."

Green Coat's eyes went wide as he turned his head, staring, still feeling the hot breath of his lover's whisper on the shell of his right ear.

No...was...was that...?!

Green Coat lost his voice so he asked with his eyes, blinking rapidly, trying to get Ice Cream back into focus.

Ice Cream smiled and nodded, eyes still red.

His name.

_His real name._

"...Iris?" Green Coat whispered, scared that the word would shatter the world around them.

"Bonjour," Ice Cream smiled tenderly with a sniff, as the twenty-two year old saw fresh tears cascade down his lover's face.

The young Lock Smith gently pulled the Lock Picker into the circle of his arms who snuggled close.

"Hello Iris," Green Coat whispered, finally letting go, feeling hot liquid on his own cheeks, "I'm Vincent."

~

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Twenty One Coming Soon...
> 
> Author's Note:  
> If you know the song Ice Cream is named after, you get a cookie!


	21. (E)Stand and Deliver. Part One.

**WARNING: The following chapter contains intense and explicit sexual content.**

~

Arno Dorian, a large bundle of bed sheets pressed tightly within his arms, ran down the ornate and long corridor of the Palace of Versailles's Royal Guest House. As he ran, careful not to trip on any lose corners of the sheets that were hanging precariously off to one side, he turned a corner, seeking out his rendez-vous point. The ex-Templar could hear a persistent cry every now and again and knew it could only come from one person; Camille. As he arrived at the large white paneled door to the make shift birthing room, he saw a small gathering of people, mostly women, beginning to congregate around that partly opened door. He could hear the women talking rapidly, even as he got closer, not stopping in his jogging, noticing that every now and again the onlookers would peek into the room. As he finally arrived, he noticed a couple of the throng were female Assassins he remembered were with Camille during Frederic's speech.

"What's that Axe Assassin doing in there?!"

"Fred had better be in there, begging for her forgiveness-"

"Is she alright? I can't see-"

"And to think, she's only seven months gone!"

"Why do you think she's having it now?"

"Are the lights outside doing this?!"

"Tsk, no woman wants men around her when she's giving birth-"

"Excusez-moi, ladies," Arno threw out, with an awkward smile, not looking to see them turn in horror as yet _another_ man pushed passed them and entered into the sacred room of child birth. As he did so, he saw a very red faced Axe come up to his side and shut the door firmly behind him, stopping any more curious eyes from peeking in.

"Bunch of damn hens-"

"I hope this shall suffice?" Arno offered, indicating to the sheets in his arms, cautious at how agitated his large leader looked.

"Oui, give 'em here," Axe said, turning to him, looking distracted.

Arno felt his arms become lighter with the load taken. He watched his leader take them off to the side as Arno awkwardly put his hands on his hips and began to take stock of the room. Camille was on a small bed, off to the right, lying on a collection of damp looking sheets, panting, her face screwed into barely concealed pain. Arno paused and watched the drama unfolding with a worried brow. Camille's skin was white and had a deathly pale to it and her entire body was heavily drenched in sweat, only being covered by a thin and long white cotton shift. A worried, but stoic looking, Frederic was sitting in a seat next to the side of his wife's bed, holding her hand. Every now and again he would brush matted hair away from his wife's cringing face with soothing words.

Arno looked around and noticed Ice Cream or Green Coat weren't present. In fact, where were they? He hadn't seen them since the Library-

"Lad, light some candles will ya, we need all the light we can get."

Arno did as he was told and set about his task. He saw movement off to the side and saw Axe was helping Mrs Breton, pouring boiling water into a large porcelain bowl, sterilizing a pair of scissors. Arno turned back to his mission and suddenly stood abruptly back as Mrs Breton scuttled passed him at an impressive speed, as if he was a ghost, as she took charge of the Assassin's labor.

"Hnnn!"

"It's alright, it's alright," Frederic whispered, as Camille grabbed his hand in a vice, "Breathe....breathe..."

Camille let out a breath as the contraction faded away.

"Not long now, my dear," Mrs Breton said with a soothing smile towards Camille, as she nodded at Axe to bring the sterilizing equipment over to the side. "Just keep remembering what I told you?"

"Think of the baby, think of the baby," Camille chanted as she squeezed her eyes shut, another contraction starting up.

"Oui, just think of them, let your body do the work, don't try to control it; it knows what to do."

Arno saw Axe move over to the mother to be.

"Want me to stay, lass?"

Camille looked up, eyes red as she nodded.

Arno watched the group before feeling highly self conscious. "I'll take my leave," the young man said with a cough, knowing that he could not offer any help, before Axe grabbed him by the upper arm harshly.

"There is a man locked in a room upstairs, who is not to come into contact with the other two, am I clear?"

Arno paused, assuming Axe could only be talking about Ice Cream and Green Coat, before he nodded, seeing Axe's face was still very red and heavily strained.

"I'll stand guard outside his door, if that is what you wish."

"Aye, see that he is kept locked up tighter than a nun's crotch-"

Camille suddenly cried out, tensing her body, as Frederic and Mrs Breton tried to gently calm her.

The two men caught the father-to-be's worried eyes.

"I'll come and check on ya when all is well here...might be a while, lad," Axe offered to the young man next to him.

"You're going to assist in the birth?" Arno asked with raised eyebrows.

"Aye, _just_ assist mind, Mrs Breton is gonna be the midwife."

Arno blinked.

"I didn't know you were knowledgeable in such things?"

Axe barked a laugh. "Comes with living on a farm in the middle 'a bloody nowhere," he said wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, "I've birthed my fair share of calves and foals, but when me wife had our first littlin', there weren't anyone but me-self to help. Ice weren't with us then-"

Camille cried out again, closing her eyes tightly, body shaking.

Axe gave him a nod in parting before jogging back to be at Mrs Breton's side.

Arno turned and quickly made his way to the door, grateful to be away from the scene.

~

"What is this place?"

"I'd imagine it was a garden some time ago..."

"Hmm, from the ivy growing on the walls outside, I have to agree with you."

Both men were lying in that small walled off garden, surrounded by four thick brick walls on all sides. One could even call the place claustrophobic, but to the two Assassins lying in it's midst whom favoured the utmost privacy; it was perfect.

Green Coat reached up with his right hand and brought down some of the tops of the dry and long grass, looking at them in the green and yellow colored lights from above. They had been lying in the grass for a while, both quiet in each others arms after the emotional outpouring from both Assassins. Green Coat's left arm was under his lover's neck, a hand in Ice Cream's copper hair, gently massaging the Lock Picker's scalp, every now and again lazily playing with wavy hair between his fingers. The side of his lips were pressed to the man's forehead, who was lying on his chest. Ice Cream had his head lying in the crock of Green Coat's neck, arms wrapped up to his own body, loving the warmth from the younger man below.

"Looks like this place has seen its fair share of winters..." the Lock Smith said, letting the grass stalk go, watching as it sprung back up heartidly to join its many brothers. "Why do you think it was walled up?"

"I'm not sure..."

The twenty-two year old looked back up at the lights. Anger or the feeling of being watched no longer present. The only thing he could feel was the warm body pressed onto his. 'Iris'...what an unusual name...not that the nickname of 'Ice Cream' was any more unusual, but what did it mean? Obviously Iris was connected to the anatomy of the eyes, but he was sure Iris was a name reserved only for women.

"Have you...?"

But Green Coat stopped, thinking better.

"It's alright...," Ice Cream softy said against the Assassin's chest, as if reading his lover's thoughts, "...you can ask..."

"Have you ever lived...part of your life as...as a female? To receive such a name?"

Ice Cream shrugged slightly.

"...There was a period...but no, my earliest memories are of being considered male. I've always had the name..."

"...Iris..." Green Coat nodded, looking back up to the lights.

Ice Cream chuckled.

"What?"

"I like how you say it. But I prefer Ice Cream..."

"Whatever you wish, Ice Cream, I shall obey," Green Coat said playfully nuzzling, making the man smile more. "Unless you tell me to jump off a cliff, then I might have to appeal such a request."

"Indeed, I don't think I will ever ask you to do such a thing."

A memory came back to Green Coat.

"So what was it you wanted to tell me?" Green Coat asked again softly, feeling his eyes sore from his own emotional climax. They were both mentally exhausted, so best to talk about other things than mysterious past names.

"Hmm?"

"In the library...?

"Ah, yes," Ice Cream said, lifting his head and smiling at Green Coat, his eyes full of warmth.

"Francios is coming to join the Assassins."

"Francios? The boy we met at the tavern?"

"Oui," the taller man said, studying the others face, "myself and Arno are going to collect him next week," Ice Cream paused, looking into dark eyes, seeing specs of green and yellow reflecting in them from above, "Axe has received word that it's safe to do so and I like to think I keep my promises."

" So what about Francois's mother?" Green Coat coughed uncomfortably at the mention of Arno, which was not missed by the elder man.

"She wants to stay with her sister."

"So the trip to Turkey that Axe mentioned for next month...?"

Ice Cream smiled sadly.

"I'm going."

Green Coat paused, hearing how the man had stressed the sentence.

" _You're_ going?"

Ice Cream nodded his head, looking pained before Green Coat realized the meaning.

"But I'm not, right?" Green Coat sighed, feeling a growl in his throat.

"Axe wants you to stay here, with Camille and take care of her incase the baby arrives-"

"She's Frederic's wife, not mine," Green protested, "Why can't he stay and I go in his place?"

"Frederic put up one hell of a fight to try and stay here with Camille, but this order comes directly from Master Connor himself."

Green Coat shut his mouth, feeling like he had just been kicked in the face. He had never met their Master and Mentor, Connor. He had heard stories from others of this apparent great man. A Native American who had shown more advanced skills and wisdom than others was widely respected by the Assassin community. He must admit he was curious about him, but it was well known the American Assassin kept very much to himself.

"Isn't Master Connor due to arrive here at some point?"

"Oui," Ice Cream said, playing with the white collor that Green Coat always wore around his neck, "he's due here sometime...but that's all we know. Axe said the man is secretive and wouldn't be surprised if he showed up without prior notice."

Green Coat nodded with a frown.

"...I asked if you could come with me to collect Francios," Ice Cream gently said, seeing the question playing around in his lover's mind, "but Arno was chosen instead. Master Connor's orders."

Green Coat was silent. His dislike of Arno had been abating somewhat, ever since Ice Cream and Axe had exchanged words during the storming of the palace. Not that he now considered Arno a friend, far from it. He was just a bit more tolerable towards the arrogant Templar. But still, he couldn't shake the sadness of not being chosen to work with Ice Cream either collecting the teenage kitchen boy or going to the Fountain of Salmacis. The last one in particular stung.

"I can tell from your silence that you do not like these plans," Ice Cream said nudging the man slightly.

Green Coat shrugged, trying to keep any hurt or bitterness from his voice, "I'm not The Mentor, I don't make the rules."

"I asked for us not to be separated, but Axe said Master Connor is insisting that you in particular need to stay here for the next month."

Green Coat remained silent before he cleared his throat, changing the subject.

"How long are you and Arno away for? In collecting Francios?"

"A few days," Ice said, his blue eyes scanning the man's face, "When we return, I shall then start to prepair with Frederic and the others to go to Turkey..."

Green Coat looked back at Ice Cream, hearing his voice trailing off.

"Vincent, I'm worried-"

"About Turkey?"

"No," the elder man said seriously, "...you."

Green Coat cocked his head.

"Me? Why?"

"...during the meetings I've been having with Axe and Frederic...we've heard rumors the Revolution is turning into something more-"

"More?"

Ice Cream swallowed.

"All out War."

The men were silent. It wasn't so much a theory but a soon to be fact of reality. Both Assassins knew it was not a matter of if, but when War would break out. The Brotherhood of Assassins had always been at War, with the Templars or some other splinter faction. They had operated in the past during civil wars and the like. But personally, neither Green Coat or Ice Cream has witnessed first had the true horrors of War. Fighting and defending themselves wasn't an issue...it was the change in the environment that unnerved even the most battle hardened Assassins. Having a country and populist that was peaceful was ideal in their line of work. Better for not only Assassins, but Templars, to conduct their secret war on each other, unknown to the public. But take that away and...neither side knew what the playing field or rules were anymore.

"With who?"

"From the letter's I've seen..." Ice Cream sighed with a thoughtful frown, "Prussia, England, Austria and we think even Spain..."

"So why are you worried about me?" Green Coat asked, "It's safe here. I'm more worried about you in some dingy tomb!"

Ice Cream offered a tight smile before he spoke. "If this place is attacked, you need to be alert... so...you need to sleep and rest, Vincent, even if I'm not here."

Green Coat smiled sadly back. It was known between both men that the younger had a nasty habit of not letting his body rest when the other was absent.

"I don't want to see these return," the copper haired man said, gently tracing the faint circles under the black haired man's eyes.

Green Coat leaned over and pressed his lips protectivly to the other's in gratitude. Ice Cream always ment well and had his best intentions at heart. The thought of War suddenly crept up on him. It was a given that the reason for the invasions was due to France's own unstable situation. Each nearby country saw how France was cannibalizing itself and each realized now would be a good time to strike, gaining land among other things. Green Coat wondered if Axe was just as concerned. But it wasn't just War. They were in the middle of a Revolution. Have those two explosive things mix and...

The twenty-two year old held his lover close, breaking the kiss.

"I'll make sure your equipment is up to date before you go," he breathed, not letting go of his world as they pressed their foreheads together, "You can try out the modifications I've made to the Phantom Blade before your mission to bring Francios back, if you'd like?"

"I'm always eager to try out new things," Ice Cream smiled and leaned up, pressing his lips once again to the younger man's.

"Actually...," Ice Cream said, breaking the kiss, suddenly, "while we are being truthful...there is another reason Axe and Master Connor want you to stay here..."

"Another reason? What other reason?"

"You mentioned it before that he is going to ask you at some point...?"

Green Coat looked confused before he paused, and closed his eyes sternly with a growl.

"No, I'm not going to-"

"But the line-"

"No, I won't do that to you-"

"Vincent-"

Green Coat snapped his eyes open.

"Ice Cream, I'm not sleeping with some random woman to sire an heir."

Ice Cream looked at him sadly.

"I've decided to pass the title onto Camille and Frederic's child. They are both competent Assassins, so can raise the child to know what is expected of them. I shall ask to formerly, and in title only, adopt their child as the heir-"

"Axe said you might say that...," Ice Cream said quietly, "he said it has to be your blood that passes on..."

Green Coat closed his eyes. Who was he trying to fool? It was true. It had to be _his_ blood. Had not Axe instilled in him and constantly reminded him during the years he was his mentor that one day he had to continue the line unbroken? He felt repulsed at first, the idea of shoving any part of his anatomy into another in that manner was...messy. But figured the older he got the more he was going to change his mind. Axe would joke that by the time he reached his teens he would be shagging anything with a hole. But it never happened. Hell, it was a miracle that he had lost his virginity in the first place...but the thought that he lost it to that drug peddling woman was...disturbing. But as far as he knew, no child was created from that mistake, thank God. Axe had even mentioned that she probably wasn't the best woman to sleep with for that end. When the bearded man had commented on his choice in women; Green had to constantly remind his mentor that he had been hallucinating and to this very day thought he had lost his virginity to a geometric shaped green fairy. Which made Axe laugh telling him to choose his next bedfellow more carefully and without the added influence of drink.

"So that's what these secret meetings in the library over the past month have been about?"

"Partly...and about how best to approach Halikarnassos. None of us want to end up like those fried Templars, smelling of bacon," Ice Cream said with a smirk, before seeing his joke fall like a led balloon upon the sad look on his lover's face. He nudged his younger lover playfully, "I'll be back before you know it...it will be as if I've never left. Just promise me you won't fall in love with which ever woman you choose while I'm away?"

Green Coat look up seriously at his partner.

It seemed everything he wanted to do, everything that mattered to him, was second to his damn blood line. But he knew, he had to pass on his line. The Assassins were protective over anyone whom had First Civilization blood flowing through their veins. He wasn't the only one. Axe himself had an ancestor who had precursor linage but by the time it came down to Axe, it was only a ghost. Himself, however, both his mother and father and their previous sixteen generations, of which the Assassin's could trace, all had the blood line. Through the sheer nature of their work, many from the tree had been culled before passing on their blood which meant by the time he lost his own parents, a boy called "Vincent" was the only one the Assassins, and worryingly also Templars, in Europe knew about. But who Vincent was, and what he looked like, no one knew. And Green Coat would be damned if anyone except those in his immediate circle knew.

Green Coat locked eyes with his lover.

"I wish I could have that child with you..."

"So do I," Ice Cream whispered back, moving forwards and pressing his lips to Green Coat's softly.

~

"Alright Camille, you're dilated enough, time to push."

"I can't do it, Mrs Breton-"

"Yes you can, I know you can," Frederic soothed from beside his wife's bed, "Remember when we were in India, and I fell into that fire trap?"

"Oui, you were in agony for days," Camille breathed.

"But all that time, you never backed down. Kept telling me I'll be alright, that I'll be able to walk again. Plus to top it off, you taught that pyromaniac of a Templar what for."

Camille laughed, before grimacing suddenly.

"Mrs De La Vert, this is the last part," Mrs Breton said with a smile, "Best hold the husband's hand before he has time to run. Once the head is through and shoulders, it's plain sailing then onwards, I promise."

Camille looked up at her husband.

"Permission to break your hand, Monsieur?"

Frederic smiled widely.

"Permission Granted, Mademoiselle."

The Assassin took her husband's hand and squeezed.

~

Green Coat brushed hair away from Ice Cream's face as the kiss deepened, a gentle breeze coursed through the secluded garden as the two men kissed. It wasn't long before Green Coat found himself lying back on the flattened out grass under Ice Cream. He secretly loved the fact the other was ever so slightly taller than himself, as he felt that powerful man caress him. The kiss broke and Ice Cream sat back up on Green's lap. The twenty-two year old gazed up, seeing Ice Cream looking down at him, cheeks pink, the lights in the sky dancing behind his lithe frame. He felt Ice Cream's hands come down and begin to unbutton his own shirt, freeing the white scarf from his neck. Green Coat sat up and did the same to his partner, sensually kissing Ice Cream's throat slowly, feeling how supple the skin was there, loving the hitches in breath from the Assasin as his stubble brushed over soft peach skin. He brought his hands between them both and began to unbuckle his partner's coat, pushing the tanned over coat off the man's shoulders, all the while their lips locked, moaning. Soon both cast off their outer uniforms, lips meeting skin, moans breathless as the warm air touched their exposed skin. Green Coat inhaled vanilla as he pushed up and got on his knees, feeling Ice Cream under him now, lying on the grass. Green Coat saw the lights reflecting in the man's blue eyes as he unbuckled the man's belt and pulled off the other's trousers, disguarding them to the side, hearing them land in the grass with a clatter of metal buckles. He felt the Assassin under him reach up and undo his trousers, pulling them down, his nails dragging accidentally against skin at his buttocks. Green Coat growled with lust at the sudden sensation as he trailed a hand down from Ice Cream's throat, mouth's clashing together with hot breathes. His slightly calloused fingers dragged their way down a strong chest, over erect nipples, down to a soft stomach, noticing those familiar rivers of lines on the Lock Picker's lower abdomen, until he felt a thatch of thick hair. Ice Cream arched his back as he felt Green's fingers slip down wards, finding wetness. With a growl, the Lock Smith lined himself up, grabbed the Lock Picker's hips and penetrated.

Ice Cream gasped, pushing his hips up, allowing Green Coat to go further into him. The man felt the Lock Smith lean down onto his white loose shirt and grunt with his thrusts, feeling pleasure shooting through his body. Suddenly Green's pace increased, and Ice Cream's whines became louder, each desperalty holding onto the other in the heated actions.

Green Coat felt the need to mate all consuming. The need to be one with Ice Cream, feeling that this was his one last chance to be with the man like this. He would admit to being scared that they had not been paired up for the venture to Turkey or to collect Francios. But the Mentor had deemed it, and neither one of them could go against his decisions. There might be a grace between the two missions, but knowing Axe, the minute his partner was back he would be prepping for Turkey.

Tonight was all they truely had.

"Maybe," Green Coat grunted as he thrust in, feeling his partner's legs wrapped tight around his own hips, "I can, hnn, sneak aboard the boat to Turkey, hn, and fuck you when no one is looking-"

"I'd love, ah, that, ah!" Ice Cream said inbetween his strained breaths, feeling the other moving deep within, "but, I don't think, ah, I could, hnn, keep quiet when we, hnn, fuck-"

"You think this, ah, is fucking?" Green Coat grunted with a devilish smile, pushing himself in up to the hilt and holding himself there, loving how Ice Cream gasped suddenly.

Ah! Ye-yes" Ice Cream mannaged to gasp at the deep penetration and sudden stillness from Green Coat. The Assassin, also pausing, looking up at Green Coat, the lights behind his black haired lover swaying too and fro slowly across the stars.

"You want me to fuck you?"

"Hah," Ice Cream said with a challenging smirk, pointing to his lover's face, "you're about to cum-ah!"

"On your stomach," Green Coat's husky voice commanded, as he suddenly and harshly withdrew and Ice Cream turned on his front.

No sooner had he done so then Ice Cream felt his hips being pulled back sharply. He cried out as his was deeply penetrated again. The Assassin panted with the strain, clawing at the earth and long flattened grass as the feelings became too much for him. Ice Cream's naked knees dug into the lose soil, making trenches where he began to slip from the weight ontop of him.

Green Coat fucked Ice Cream hard.

The Lock Picker felt dirt and grass under his nails as his body was jerked forwards and backwards violently with every thrust. He looked up from his position on hands and knees, inbetween his wavy and loose copper hair and saw the lights in the sky bright and beautiful, just as a soft hand came across his stomach, holding him more securely. He could hear Green Coat's thrusting with grunts of pleasure from over his shoulder as their bodies met and united. At one particularly enthusiatic penetration, Ice Cream cried out, squeezing his eyes shut tightly as Green Coat's force of fucking him began to overwhelm his senses. He cried out loudly as his front arms couldn't keep him up and to compensate, Ice spread his legs further apart, desperately trying to regain traction on the loose soil, gasping.

The Lock Smith continued to repeatedly bury himself up to the hilt as he finally cried out in orgasm, riding his partner. Ice Cream felt his arms collaps from under him, his face and upper body hitting the dirt, screaming into the earth as his own orgasm took over.

It wasn't long before both climaxed and collapsed onto the grass, breathing heavily.

Both Asassins remained motionless for a long time as they caught their breathes back, bodies cooling in the night time air. The sounds of crickets and a nearby owl filtered into Green Coat's brain numbly as he regained his senses.

"That...that was..." Ice Cream panted, finally pushing himself up onto an elbow, feeling the others hot seed inbewteen his sweat drenched thighs, "...that was something else..."

Green Coat looked over from his sprawl, with an exhausted smile.

"You asked to be fucked. And I always do as I'm told."

Ice Cream snorted with smile, before something caught his eye. He looked down in between them, raising an eyebrow.

"Ready again so soon?"

"Well, I'm not going to see you for God knows how long, so," Green Coat said with a tired but very proud grin, rolling over to his side to face his partner, "I intend for you to be lying in bed in Turkey, remembering this night...and, well..." he said, brushing a hand down the side of a naked hip of Ice Cream's. "If you think you have the stamina," Green Coat panted with smirk, challenging the other man.

"Oh is that a bet, you're out of breath!" Ice Cream laughed, shoving the younger in the chest with his hand. "Work on your stamina, and then we'll talk-" But Green Coat was ready as he grabbed that hand and the two began to wrestle.

Ice Cream laughed at the impromptu competition as he effortlessy used his legs to flip the younger man over onto his back. But just as quickly as he did, Green Coat reversed their positions again, until Ice Cream used a move Green Coat had never seen before.

Green Coat grunted as he realised he had been tricked into a headlock, right between Ice Cream's thighs.

"Concede, man, for I have won," Ice Cream smirked with a triumphant laugh, as Green Coat tried to break free.

The shoulder length haired Lock Smith sighed and was about the admit defeat when he realised how close to a certain part of Ice Cream's body he was.

Green Coat looked up with a devilish smile.

"I don't think so."

Ice Cream narrowed his eyes in confusion before he felt a wet tongue slip in between his legs. "OH GODS!" he screamed, but as his grip on the shorter Assassin faltered, Green Coat quickly took over, grabbing at the Lock Picker's thighs to get better access and began to suck.

"Hnn!" Ice Cream growled, jerking his hips away from the moist and hot sensastions, but his hips slipped on the loose earth and only succeeded in allowing that tongue to penetrate deeper. 

"Ah, ah, oh, oh, Gods, Green, fuck-oh!"

Green Coat, held the man in a vice by the thighs as he sucked, loving the taste of the other. He felt Ice Cream's hands come up to grab at the hair on his scalp, pulling, but still he sucked. He heard his partner screaming out in pleasure, the sound echoing off the four walls and into the night and down to his own already hardness. The sound quickened Green Coat's desire as he realized with a thrill that they could, in fact, be as loud as they wanted. It was so integrated into his and Ice Cream's mind to suppress their sounds of love making for fear of other Assassins hearing them that they had never fully let loose.

Until now.

"Oh...oh.. Gods, Green, something's happening....oh fuck, Vincent-!"

Green Coat felt liquid suddenly at his mouth as he continued to suck and swallowed, before he jerked back just as Ice Cream finished orgasiming and pushed the Assassin's legs up, bending his knees up to his hips, as his own all too ready member greedily thrust in.

**_"OH GODS!"_** Ice Cream screamed, the sounds echoing into the heavens and into the forest, as a second, more powerful than the first, multiple orgasm ripped through his body mercilessly. He clawed at Green Coat's bare and scared shoulders, feeling the man's muscles working and rippling under his fingers, as their bodies became one in the age old dance of life.

Suddenly, Green Coat gasped as he felt something pressing insistently against his psyche, seeing small multi-colored lights exploding at the corners of his vision.

~

"Aaaahh!"

"One more, alright my love?" Mrs Breton asked as Camille dragged in breath, before bearing down with everything she had.

"Good, good, and relax."

The young woman let out her breath, dragging in more air, as another contraction of labour began to build sharply.

"How's she doing?" Frederic asked looking up at the older woman, who was partly hidden by Camille's legs and his Axe carrying friend.

"Head's nearly there, mate, just the shoulders to go next," Axe said, before nodding to Camille who smiled at him in pain, "This next one will do it, give it all you got, lass."

~

Through the fog of lust, Green Coat grunted as that feeling grew stronger and stronger the more he delved into his partner. A cool part of his brain mused it was identical to the time that the lion statue was near them. He lifted his sweat drenched head in between his grinding, looking around from under his shoulder length black hair for threats or some indication of where the feeling of being watched was coming from. But saw nothing but grass and the blurred out forms of trees. He felt his heart hammering against his chest along with Ice Cream's cries, and the feeling of something or someone watching them getting stronger and stronger and lights flashing in his eyes became brighter. A strange tingling sensation slowly started at the base of his skull. Suddenly he couldn't hear anything, time slowed and without warning that intence ecstasy sensation from his skull shot like a bolt of white hot lightning through is body and into his crotch.

"FUCK!" he screamed, closing his eyes, but the light followed him into his mind, as he climaxed, pounding into his partner, pulling Ice Cream's hips up to him, holding his lover down as he spilled his seed, before the Assassins called Green Coat and Ice Cream passed out.

~

"Listen to that cry! Lungs like a lion you've birthed there my dear!" Mrs Breton laughed as she finished cleaning the mother of after birth, and toddled off to where Axe was cleaning the infant. The larger man finished tying off the umbilical cord of the loudly crying infant and began to wrap the baby in the make-shift swaddling.

"Ah, just like old times," he laughed to himself as he turned and nodded to Mrs Breton, "Oh aye, both my youngin's were the same," Axe continued as he smiled and took the cleaned up and tiny infant, bringing it over to the mother and father.

"Congratulations on ya' son."

"A son?" Frederic breathed up to a beaming Axe, eyes wide in a daze, and then to his wife, "A son...? We have a son...?"

"We have a son, Frederic," Camille smiled with exhaustion, eyes full of pure love, taking her husband's startled hand.

Axe gently handed the precious bundle to the brown haired woman who began to cry. "Oh look at you," she smiled, looking down at her child, a tiny hand gripping fabric of the swaddling. "Hello, hello," she cooed as Frederic tenderly watched his new family.

"He's so small..."

"Aye, he is Fred, but not to worry, my son arrived at seven months too," Axe offered warmly, slapping his dazed friend on the shoulder, "He looks healthy so nothing to worry about."

"Would have been better if the little lamb had waited two more months but he was obviously keen to see you both," Mrs Breton smiled at the bed side of the happy couple before taking out a handkerchief, excusing herself with a, "oh dear, I always cry at these things."

Axe smiled as he watched as the new parents gazed in wonder at their tiny family.

Frederic kissed the top of his wife's head, thanking her again and again as Camille cried, holding their baby son to her chest.

A new life had been born into the Creed.

~

"Merde, my head...I passed out..."

"You did too?"

"Oui..."

Both men looked at each other.

"Holy shit, that's never happened before," Green Coat said, eyes wide.

The Lock Picker barked out a laugh from under the younger man, feeling soil clinging to his skin.

"You son of a bitch," Ice Cream said, turning over from his back, rolling onto his side in the grass under Green Coat, "Cunnilingus wasn't in the rules-"

"Nothing is true, everything is permitted," Green Coat smirked, licking his lips, tasting the faint traces of his lover's unique flavour. "Didn't you say you wanted to try new things?" Green Coat finished with glee, from both that and the fact that he was still inside his partner. He lazily lent down and pressed his lips onto Ice Cream's.

"Urgh, Vanilla," Ice Cream winced, turning his head away, breaking the kiss.

Green Coat began laughing, "What, you don't like Vanilla?"

"I may smell of it but I don't have to like the taste of it," the Lock Picker breathed, turning his head back to look up at Green Coat.

"You don't like Vanilla..." Green Coat chuckled, shaking his head, "You are officially insane, Monsieur."

"And you think you're Hephaestus gift to man kind."

"That I can't argue," Green Coat added, joining in the teasing at being compaired to the Greek God of Locks, then added with a snort, "My foot is cramping."

Green Coat rolled himself off of his lover.

"I didn't know I could..." the copper haired man mumbled, "I didn't know I could have them-"

"What?"

"Multiple orgasms," Ice Cream said blinking back tiredness.

"Oh, is that what that was?" Green Coat said with a cocked eyebrow, moving back ontop of his partner, "Well, my friend, if you have the stamina, I believe it's time for round three-" but never finished as the elder man pulled a face and shoved his lover's face away with his palm.

"I need to be able to walk," Ice Cream said laughing with a wince, "There are only so many times I can stay I stubbed my toes."

"Well," Green Coat shrugged, "You could tell them the truth?"

"What truth?

Green Coat leaned down.

"That I fucked you senseless," he whispered with a lustful smile.

"Hmpf, don't flatter yourself, my love."

Green Coat fell off his partner with a laugh, onto the grass as Ice Cream too began laughing, snuggling next to him. Green Coat wrapped his arms around his world, bringing him onto his chest. The air was oddly warm, but neither men could feel it. Green Coat felt his lover sleeping as he looked up into the night sky.

He was going to miss Ice Cream...

The lights were dancing to and fro, but that wasn't what suddenly got his interest. They were starting to fade.

"Hey Ice, the lights..."

But Ice Cream was already asleep.

"Ice...?"

Green Coat went to look back up at the now faint lights against the ink black of the sky but never made it, for the second he blinked, he fell unconscious once more.

~

Arno stood, leaning his back against the white panneled and wooden door, arms folded, bored out of his skull. For the past hour he had been standing like a statue outside the door of the mysterious man. Casting his eyes up and down the decorative gold and red coridoor, glancing every now and again at the portraits adorning the walls. But there was only so many times he could look at a painting of a woman carrying a stone vase on her shoulder. But in truth, standing there gave him time to think. So much had been going on, what with the trip to Turkey, the Mentor apparently arriving soon, the lion with the diamond eyes, the lights in the sky and now Camille suddenly going into labour. He exhaled. He put a hand into his coat pocket and brought out a small letter, detailing that him and Ice Cream were to collect Francios next week. Interesting that it was just him and the copper haired Assassin. Arno scoffed and put the letter away, wondering how Green was going to react. Part of him smiled, waiting to see that reaction, but recently he had been too tired to pander to the other twenty somthing's moods. When they clapped eyes on eah other, he always got that deep seated feeling of anger rising before quickly supressing it. He didn't need another roof top incident- 

The air was suddenly shattered by a loud sound.

A newborn's cry.

Arno smiled widely.

"Is that a baby I hear?"

Arno jerked back from the door. He paused before giving an answer.

"Oui, Monsieur," Arno said, shocked at how clear the voice was even though it came from behind the white door.

"Ahh, good, good."

Arno was silent. Axe had told him to keep this man away from the other two, and upon wondering just what this man's crime was, didn't take any chances as he felt the weight of his hiden blade against his forearms.

"I apologize," the old and tired voice said, "If I startled you in the entrance hall earlier. May I inqure as to your name? Arno, if I am not mistaken?"

The twenty one year old moved closer to the door.

"Monsieur, correct me if I am wrong, but I believe you said earlier you are the brother of Mr De La Vert? But I don't recall giving you my name..."

"Oh, the other Assassins in the countryside have mentioned a few months ago that an ex-Templar of your description has joined us...goes by the name of 'Arno'. "

Arno narrowed his eyes.

"Good to have you on our side, Arno," the old man said, "fighting the good fight."

Arno remained silent. Assassins in the countryside? But how did they know about him? None in his group had come into contact with any other Assassins until they arrived at the Palace's Royal Guest House.

"I've heard," the old man's voice continued from behind the wooden barrier, "you are in a group of four men? One of them you might know? A copper haired fellow, goes by the name of, ah, Ice Cream?"

Arno looked at the door, suspiciously, trying to visualize the man behind the voice.

"Who are you, Monsieur?"

There was a pause before the man sighed deeply.

"I'm his husband."

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Dun dun duuuun. I need to stop this from turning into a soap opera. Also, I need to stop naming chapters after 80's pop songs. #showingmyage


	22. Stand and Deliver. Part Two.

~ 

Arno stared at the white wooden door. The words the old man behind it had just said ringing loudly in his ears, making Arno wonder if he miss understood.

"His...his what?-"

"Arno!"

The startled blue coated young man turned and looked down the corridor, seeing Axe running up to him, the man's large axe clacking against the belts at his back and thick dirty boots thundering along the clean red carpet.

"Axe?"

"Good work, lad. I'm relieving you to go and pack ya things-"

"Wait, excuse me?"

"-After ya do, go downstairs," the heavy set man continued, ignoring Arno's look of mingled confusion and annoyance, "go outside; there is a carriage n' horses. If you find that soddin' Lock Picker before I do, tell 'im that we've just received word to get Francois **now**."

Arno paused, blinking at the sudden tidal wave of information from the huffing elder man.

"Don't stand there gawking at me, son, get packing! Five minutes!" 

Arno was shoved forwards by the large man, who shooed him down the corridor. Arno gathered his wits, nodded and ran, but not before looking over his shoulder, seeing Axe mumble something, take an iron key out of his pocket, unlocking the door to the mysterious room and its contents he had just been guarding, and enter inside.

Arno shook his head as he ran to his room to gather his things. He might as well give up trying to figure out what the hell was going on around here.

~

Green Coat stood in the early morning fog by the horse drawn carriage as he waited for Ice Cream to appear. The smell of the mist was thick and heavy, as the twenty-two year old sniffed deeply, arms crossed over his thick coated chest. He hefted his lover's draw string traveling bag back up his shoulder where it had slid down his arm. Green Coat looked up into the dark morning sky in between the gaps in the fog to see the mysterious lights were gone, replaced with a few grey clouds. The Lock Smith turned his head as the two dark coloured horses harnessed to the carriage snorted and nickered. The young man looked away again. He couldn't shake the connection or the feeling that Frederic putting the diamond into one of the Lion statue's eyes had caused the sky to light up. It was impossible though, how the hell could a statue control the heavens? Unless it was really a Piece of Eden...

He was going to swallow his pride and ask Frederic more about this theory, until he had entered the main building and heard from a few excited Assassins that Camille had had her baby. He smiled. As much as the male De La Vert annoyed him, he was genuinely pleased they had a child. Camille had been wanting one for a few years and was pleased she finally got her wish, even if, worryingly, the child appeared two months too soon. From what he had heard from his limited time in the building this morning, the other Assassins mentioned to him that both mother and baby were fine despite this. No name had been offered for the new born from the tired new father or mother, but that would have to wait. Green Coat knew, just like himself, Frederic had Assassin duties that needed to be tended too first. Green Coat looked up as he saw that very same man emerge from the fog off to his left with a tall and copper haired man in full traveling gear walking next to him.

"Bloody marvelous morning, Green!"

Green Coat put his hand up in greeting, smiling despite his tiredness. He felt his own eyes then going to the other man.

Ice Cream looked just as tired and his coat was streaked with grass stains down one side. The twenty-two year old felt a pang of guilt, knowing why his partner looked so tired and marked. But then he wasn't fairing much better himself either, Green mused, as he tried to stop a yawn from forming, grateful his own coat was the colour of dirty grass. Green Coat studied his partner, worried the man was limping from their intimacies, but he found no such evidence. The young Assassin coughed, looking away, feeling relieved. He hated the fact the man would sometimes limp after their liaisons. He had at one point told Ice Cream that he would hold off on such rough behavior. Until Ice Cream shrugged and said he didn't mind, while shooting him a devilish smirk leaving any further response hanging in the air. Just what that was meant to mean genuinely shocked the younger Assassin. Perhaps his lover had a streak of masochism in him? But then it added to the growing mountain of evidence that his lover had so much more hidden away to his personality than he could fathom; both light and dark. Which was one of the reasons why the man fascinated him. Truth be told, Ice Cream was more so in the camp of light but the darkness to his personality was there, hidden far away in the shadows. Every now and again Green Coat would catch a glimpse of it, mostly in the heat of battle, but just as quickly as that part of his lover would surface, it would retreat. Green Coat himself had his own demons to contend with, but he wondered if Ice Cream's teenage years had been full of nothing but demons and, after last night's emotional outpouring, was willing to bet money on it.

_“...and he's a right kinky bastard-” Green added, making..._

Green Coat blinked with a start. He tried to concentrate, confused, as a muggy echo of a memory surfaced. Wait, when had he ever said that? The young Assassin hunted internally for the rest of the memory but found nothing. Hmm, did he dream that? Was it something he had once said to Ice Cream? Green Coat coughed again with a worried frown, as he lifted the traveling bag off of his shoulder and put it carefully into the coach's passenger side. He yawned again. Both of them had, quite literally, shagged themselves out. So much so in fact, that when they awoke many hours later, still sprawled out in the long grass half naked, both Assassins needed to lean on the other to even stand. How they weren't discovered while passed out was quite frankly a miracle. But considering they had climbed into a walled up garden, it was highly unlikely. Both had got up and made their way back to the main building, picking grass and dirt from out of their hair and off their coats while glancing at each other, smiling. It wasn't long though before a highly emotional Frederic ran up to them in the main hall way, saying that Ice Cream had to leave now, for the call had gone up to get Francois early. Even having a clean or a wash was out of the question as the older dark green coated man had practically hauled Ice Cream off to the library for a pre-mission briefing, saying his things had already been packed by Mrs Breton. It was a few minutes later that the same Mrs Breton had handed Green Coat Ice Cream's traveling bag. Green Coat had nodded, taken the bag and hurried to the carriage in the now early morning light, grateful he had a chance to see his partner one last time before he departed.

When the other men arrived at the coach, Green Coat made a subtle signal and Ice Cream suddenly made an excuse to go round the other side of the carriage in order to check the horse's harnesses, nodding to Green Coat to join him. No sooner had they gotten round the other side of the carriage and out of sight of Frederic did then the Lock Smith pull the Lock Picker into a crushing hug.

"I'm going to miss you," Green Coat had whispered, muffling the words into Ice Cream soft and vanilla scented neck, "Especially after last night, Iris."

"I'll be back before you know it, Vincent," the Lock Picker whispered before he drew back and pressed his lips to his young lover's ones, "Just promise me you'll try to sleep?"

"I'll try," the young man smirked as they touched foreheads, not wanting to part, savoring the moment. The subject of Green Coat's "duty" while the other was away was heavy in the air but before either man could bring up the subject, there was a cough from someone who sounded a bit too much like Arno from the other side of the coach. The two men parted and Ice Cream and Green Coat came out from behind the horses, to see Frederic and Arno waiting for them.

Ice Cream vaulted up and into the carriage, followed by the Ex-Templar.

Neither Green Coat nor Arno made eye contact.

"Cheerio, Lads!" Frederic called, as Green Coat stood next to his old guardian and put a hand up, looking happy but sad as both men watched the short driver flick the horse's reigns and the stage coach trundled off across the graveled drive way and out of sight. Green Coat continued to wave to the carriage as it left before he felt eyes on him. He turned to see a very tired but pleased Frederic looking at him with a knowing smile.

"What?" the young Assassin said with a frown.

Frederic smiled warmly.

"You look at him the way I look at my wife."

Green Coat's eyes widened.

"I'm glad you've found someone."

Green Coat blinked as he watched Frederic, the man who infuriated him with his verbal non stop chattering, seem oddly stoic, looking back at the fleeing carriage before the twenty-two year old felt his old guardian pat him on the shoulder. 

"...take care of him."

~

Three weeks.

For three weeks, both Arno, Ice Cream and their heavily cloaked driver had been searching.

The original plan of collecting Francois from the nearby village the same day as their departure went to absolute pot as when they reached the sleepy cluster of thatched houses, they found out very quickly that a horrendous typhoid outbreak had hit. They were told by a nervous farmer who greeted them that a boy of Francois's description had been taken to the next village over. But when they arrived there a day later, typhoid had struck again with devastating effect. The thought that Francois might have been the cause, danced around the two men, but upon the third village this was quelled for it wasn't a typhoid outbreak that had caused the boy to be moved on but a band of men had torn through the helpless town ransacking it. Francois had been moved onwards for his own safety.

And so the two Assassins continued their journey.

In between sleeping in the coach and renting out shabby tavern rooms night after night, eating what ever food they could purchase with the money they had, both Assassins began to strengthen their bond of friendship over their mutual exhaustion. With no Green Coat to scowl at him, or Axe demanding he do this and that, Arno enjoyed his time with the soft spoken Lock Picker. Both were understandably tired, having been on the road for so long but neither found reason to quarrel. 

"Would you like me to show you a few Lock Picking tricks?" Ice Cream had offered one night as the two men and their driver had huddled in their new inn abode during a particularly violent hailstorm.

"I'd love too," Arno had nodded back and thus the lessons began, practicing with the lock on their rented room door. Arno watched fascinated as Ice Cream carefully unscrewed the panels from the door with his slender tools and quickly took the entire contraption apart, laying each part out onto the floor, instructing Arno in the technical terms and how each piece worked, before reassembling it and screwing it back into the door just as fast. He went through the process step by step and on more than one occasion Arno lost track of what the man was talking about. When it was his turn, Arno carefully mirrored the elder man's actions. By the end of the night, both Arno and Ice Cream were rather pleased with his progress.

"It can take many years to create locks like these," Ice Cream said, pointing his pick to the copper lock in his hands. "But just remember Arno, no lock is impregnable. You only need to know where to press-" suddenly the lock in his hands snapped open as Ice Cream removed the pick at lightning speed. "Myself and Green Coat have a little friendly competition going on. He designs a lock and I design the best way break it."

Arno snorted. Ice Cream and Green Coat were made for each other.

"This does not cause arguments?"

"No, quite the opposite in fact," Ice Cream said with a smirk, "but you'll forgive me for not expanding on such a subject. I think you heard quite enough back at Mirabeau's tavern."

Arno nodded with a wince as the other man pulled a face at the mutual embarrassment, adding, "Sorry about that."

And so the pattern repeated the next week.

Search. Move on. Lock picking lessons to pass the time. Search. Move on.

The fifth village they came too did indeed once house the boy, but Francois had been moved "only just yesterday" the old shepherd had told them, trying with all his might to hold back an eager boarder collie from jumping up at the Assassin's coach and horses. "He's in a safe house in Lyon."

It wasn't until the start of the fourth week mark, did Arno see Ice Cream looking concerned and agitated, mumbling that Lyon was a ridiculous distance to travel. This new aspect to Ice Cream's personality Arno didn't think much of. They were all human and thus even the most held together man such as Ice was liable to become angry when over tired and frustrated. Arno was giving him the benefit of the doubt until Ice Cream had oddly commanded the driver to stop on a random country pathways so he could forage in the bushes.

"What are you looking for?" Arno offered, poking his head out of the doorway of the coach, eyebrow raised as his friend pushed plant foliage here and there, "Perhaps I could assist?"

"No, no..." Ice Cream had said, before sighing heavily, pausing his search under a hedge, "I'm looking for a very specific type of root as my supply is..."

"You're not sick are you?"

"No, but..." the man trailed off, standing up and stretching his spine, "If the pain comes back then at least I can thwart it..." He looked back to Arno before offering a small smile. "My apologies, I do not wish to keep you, tis no mater," he said waving a hand out, as he stopped his searching and returned to the coach, putting a boot up on the foot rest with a mumbled, "...probably too old anyhow."

Arno let the conversation slide until he saw Ice Cream starting to open his bag as the coach began to rock, setting off once more along the dirt road. Arno watched the man quickly rifling through it with an annoyed, "Damn it, why did they let her pack my bag?"

Arno raised an eyebrow as Ice Cream sighed, swore and uncharacteristically threw the sack to the side.

Ice Cream definitely seemed over tired.

"The root is still vexing you?"

Ice Cream paused before exhaling with a nod, absentmindedly rubbing the side of his stomach over his tanned Assassin coat, as the coach bumped and swayed it's way along the countryside.

"To tell the truth Arno, it's more than that," the Assassin said, scratching his head, "I'm meant to join the expedition to Turkey in a few days time."

"Oh..."

"But obviously at this rate..."

Arno nodded and the two fell silent as the coach continued to creek and rattle. Even if they were to turn back now and forget about Francois, it would take another two weeks to get back to Paris.

"These things are set to try us, aren't they?" Ice Cream mumbled to himself, resting on his elbow, looking out of the coach's glass window, "...why did we have to leave when we did? And where the devil is he?"

Arno kept silent.

_I'm his husband._

Arno had kept his mouth shut for the entire journey up until now. They had over the days discussed at great length all manner of subjects, most of all the mysterious lights in the sky and as to why they appeared. Was it connected to the diamond in the statue's feline eye? But now the topic of that unknown Assassin being locked in a room in the HQ reared it's ugly head in Arno's mind. A great surge of wanting to ask about the old man's mysterious words had been creeping up and up on him. He selfishly wanted to solve another mystery but Axe hadn't stationed him outside the old man's room for nothing. He didn't tell Arno not to _mention_ that Frederic's brother was in the building to Ice Cream, a voice in his head quipped. But then, if he did and asked him right now, what would he gain? If this man had committed a crime against the other Assassin then surely to bring up the subject would only make the man opposite him snap his head round in shock. And Ice Cream looked strained enough already. Was Ice Cream even aware that a man claiming to be his husband was in the same building? Wait. Maybe that was why they had to leave so suddenly?

Arno coughed.

That was the reason.

Another mystery solved.

Arno looked at Ice Cream again. It was rather brave of that old man to say he was the Lock Picker's husband, if he was even telling the truth, another voice in his head warned him. But then Axe wanting a guard at the man's door spoke volumes. Arno chewed the inside of his mouth before nodding gratefully to Ice Cream as the Assassin handed him a loaf of bread. He didn't even think something like that would be possible with the current law, but then as Assassins, they didn't exactly use any other laws apart from their own to live their lives by. Arno began to wonder, snapping the loaf in half and taking a bite, if there were other Assassin couples milling around in the HQ and else where. Hmm, maybe even the Templars had similar couples? He had not heard of any, but it wasn't impossible. After all, men in such relationships were not in the habit of publicly announcing it. Take Ice Cream, for example, he thought; the man had looked in utter horror when Arno had said he knew about his lover. So _why_ had that old man behind the door told a complete stranger Ice Cream was his partner?

And what would happen if Green Coat found out?

Arno swallowed some bread, letting the cogs in his head work their magic.

"I assume you heard about Camille giving birth to a son?"

"Oui, I did," Ice Cream said with a smile, "I haven't seen him yet. I was most sad not to have had before we left..." Ice Cream scoffed and bit off a mouth full of bread in his hand, "although perhaps it's a good thing, I had made a bet with Camille that the baby was to be a girl and now it's a boy..."

"How much did you bet?"

"Too much," Ice Cream chuckled, swallowing the food.

"...it's a miracle the baby was as healthy as Frederic said he was," Arno said, working up the conversation to steer it to another occupant in the building, "I mean considering the baby was early-"

"Oh babies can survive...Axe's second child came early," the man said with a sad smile, "the little boy survived for three years before..."

"...the fire?"

Ice Cream nodded.

"You said to me that Mirabeau doesn't know that one of his sisters and her child are gone?"

"Oui, but Axe's daughter still lives. Gabriel loves being an uncle to her...spoils her rotten, mind you," Ice Cream said with a fond smile.

"Does Frederic have a brother?"

Ice Cream looked at him sharply.

"-or a sister?" Arno quickly tacked on.

Ice Cream coughed, picking up another piece of bread from the knapsack and sat back in his seat, locking his eyes with Arno's.

"Yes, he does...why do you ask?"

Arno regretted his question immediately.

"I er," Arno coughed and began to lie, "I over heard Camille saying that Frederic's brother should be told of their son."

The older Assassin cocked his head.

"Really?"

"Oui, to be told he's now an uncle."

Ice Cream's voice hadn't been harsh but there was definitely something Arno didn't like in the look he was being given. The ex-Templar began to wonder if the man knew why he was asking.

"I find that hard to believe...,"Ice Cream smirked and shook his head, taking a bite out of the rye bread in his hand and offering up no further reply as he leaned back in his seat looking out at the countryside as it passed them by.

After a quick switch of horses for fresher ones at the next road side inn they met, the horse drawn carriage continued to bump and meander it's way around the French countryside paths, mud and dirt being kicked up by the grey colored horse's hooves, carving their way. Arno leaned to the side looking out of the window, before he looked across at the man sat across from him. It had been nearly five weeks and Ice Cream looked a state. He had his arms crossed over his chest, head down and chin resting on his chest. His, still grass stained, cowl was up and over his head shielding his face as a faint snore could be heard every now and again. The ex-templar did wonder how the man got the stains but then remembered seeing Green Coat had a few on him too the morning they departed, thus Arno wisely refrained from asking.

Arno's mind wondered and went back to the white lion statue. He had never seen it before Frederic's meeting and had wondered who it had belonged too. And the Templars were after it? Why? Was it a Piece of Eden? Arno yawned. Think later, sleep now he thought as he soon fell into slumber at the rocking motions of the carriage, his thoughts drifting as sleep claimed him. It was some time later that he was jerked awake by a particularly large bump in the road. He looked up, blinking, rubbing an elbow where it had hit the side of the wooden carriage, hearing a faint and muffled "Sorry gentlemen!" from the driver. Arno pulled himself up, rolled his shoulders, feeling the pain from the awkward sleeping position working it's way through his muscles before he looked over at Ice Cream and paused.

The man was hunched over, hands gripping the edge of the seat so hard his knuckles were going a shocking shade of white.

"Ice are you alrig-?"

"Stop the coach," Ice Cream suddenly blurted, slamming a hand to the inside of the carriage, trying to keep his mouth shut, leaning forwards, muttering "Oh Gods," under his breath.

Arno reached up and pulled the red cord at the coach's ceiling and the carriage came to a slow stop. No sooner had it done so then Arno jerked back and out of the way as Ice Cream kicked the door open and dashed out. Arno was about to move out and see what the matter was until he pulled a face as he heard the unmistakable sounds of retching. Arno waited as he heard Ice Cream cough and slowly got out of the carriage. His boots landed on the dusty ground and he looked around them, seeing the endless dark forest in the light from the setting sun, before he walked round to the other side of the carriage. Arno walked down a small grassy embankment and saw Ice Cream was behind a tree, the sounds of liquid hitting the ground, intermingled with guttural coughs continued as he approached.

"You alright?"

Ice Cream spat the last of his lunch onto the floor.

"Yes...I think so..."

Arno followed the man back to the coach and stood there as the other man reached in and brought out the piece of bread he had been eating. Ice Cream took the loaf and snapped the remaining in half to reveal over a dozen squirming and fat maggots.

"Oh, urgh!" Ice Cream said pulling a face as he hurled the bread into the forest in disgust.

"Mystery solved."

"Oui..." Ice Cream replied, trying to swallow before going pale again, "Did you eat any?"

"Yes, but not from that loaf."

Ice Cream nodded, squinting in the dying light before pulling a face.

"Oh no-"

Arno quickly moved out of the way as the man leaned over to the nearest bush, "Could be worse," Arno offered, running back into the coach and pulling out a water skin and returning, offering it to his friend who had finished vomiting. "You might have found sawdust and ash in there, too."

"And crushed human bones. I wouldn't be surprised," the Lock Picker said pulling a grimace, taking a gulp of water, gargling it around his mouth before spitting it out onto the dusty ground, adding a "Merci beaucoup, Arno."

"Come, it's not long until we reach Lyon, a couple more villages is all...," Arno offered as Ice Cream handed him the tanned water skin back.

"Oui, let's go," Ice Cream said wiping his mouth with the back of his gloved hand before he froze, staring up at the coach behind Arno, "Oh, for heaven's sake..."

"What?" Arno said, before he looked behind him and saw where their driver should be, a small figure holding the reigns.

"Alexina!" Ice Cream shouted, "I thought I told you not to come?"

"But I want to meet him, to see if it's true what they say; that he looks just like you-!"

"You'll meet Francois when we return," The thirty-six year old said firmly, brow knotted. He caught Arno looking at him and nodded between the two younger Assassins with a sigh, "Arno this is Alexina. She joined us about three months ago."

"Hello," she said with a sweet smile, her legs kicking up and down playfully from her position on the driver's seat. Arno smiled back but found that what he produced was more of an amused smirk. She looked not unlike a very excited and small child being given the reigns to a very big and dangerous machine. He recognized her from the meeting with Frederic but in the dark long coat and large hat he wondered how he had missed the fact their driver had been replaced.

"What happened to our driver?"

"You're looking at him," the girl said with a wide toothy grin.

Arno blanched.

"Wait, you've been our driver all along?"

"She's wasn't recruited into the Brotherhood for nothing," Ice Cream said begrudgingly as the girl beamed widely from behind him.

"You must admit, I had you both fooled, and for so long!" she quipped, winking at Ice Cream in particular, "Oh by the way, don't eat the rye bread, I think I saw a maggot crawl out of one of the loaves."

Ice Cream shot her an angry and tired look before shaking his head, moving towards the coach muttering, "I should have known she would sneak onto this trip-"

"Come on, Old Fossil, in the coach you go!"

"Oi, watch your tongue young lady," Ice Cream pointed at her, which only made her smile wider as he climbed back into the coach with a tart, "I'm in no mood to banter."

"And you!" Alexina sung at Arno, "In you hop, Young Chick!"

"You were the one who knew about the Tomb of Halika, right?" Arno asked, as he moved towards the open door, ignoring the playful teasing.

"Halicarnassus, oui," she said winking again, ignoring the elder man's muttering from inside the carriage.

"You seemed like a rather nervous person at that meeting?" Arno said with a raised eyebrow, for the last time he had seen her speaking was with a debilitating stammer.

"Around crowds I do get very nervous. But you two I like, so..." she said with a shrug which only made the large coat she was wearing frump up and down like a shaggy bear, "...so I'm not nervous around you. Especially not around my favourite Vanilla scented Assassin!"

A groan was heard from inside the coach.

Arno scoffed with a smile before a curious thought came to him. He lowered his voice.

"This may seem a strange question but, are you on good terms with an Assassin named Green Coat?"

"The one with the black hair who is Monsieur Ice Cream's friend?" Alexina asked in an equally low voice, eyebrow raised at why she had to be so quiet.

Arno nodded.

"Hmm, I'd say so. I've only met him a few times, but he seems pleasant enough. He even taught me about lock smithing once. Why do you ask?"

Arno opened up the coach door.

"No reason."

~

Green Coat walked back into the HQ. His chest felt heavy and hollow. Which was to be expected, he mused. Ice Cream was gone and he would be sleeping in a cold bed from now on. But no matter, they were both Assassins and thus had to fulfill their duties. He would be back and in the mean time, there was work to be done here. If Ice Cream was indeed going to the Fountain of Salmacis in Turkey then he was going to make damn sure the man was armed up to the teeth. When was the last time he had tinkered with their weapons? Green Coat stopped the direction he was walking in and made a sharp turn to the right, heading for the newly fashioned workshop. Iris...what an unusual name...not that Ice Cream wasn't but still, he had expected some name like Lucas or Mathew or Jacques to be Ice Cream's real name. "Iris," Green whispered to himself as he descended the stone steps to his favourite place in the new HQ until he smacked into someone at the bottom of the stairs.

"Green! Bloody hell lad, trying to find you is like tryin' to get blood out of a stone-"

"What?" Green blinked, taken aback as his old guardian grabbed him by the upper arms.

"I need to speak to you in the library, ten minutes, alright son?"

Green Coat nodded as he saw a very flustered looking Axe nod, slap him on the arms and continue his run down the corridor.

~

"Come on, let's get going!" Ice Cream shouted to the coach's ceiling. "Murphy's Law some bandits jump out at us."

"You're armed, right?" Alexina's muffled voice called from the front as Arno made himself comfortable.

"Yes, but I'd rather not fight if it's all the same," Ice called back, taking another drink of water, "I don't know if my stomach could handle any battles."

Arno looked up and paused. Ice Cream looked like he was going to vomit again. Perhaps if he made the man talk he would get some color back in his face? Nothing like a bit of good old fashioned distraction.

"What happened to make you three leave?"

"I'm sorry, Arno?" Ice Cream said, swallowing the water and putting the cork back in the water skin.

"The Parisian HQ," Arno said as the coach began to move and creek along the road, "I've always wanted to ask what became of the main Head Quarters of the Assassins, but it seems a sore subject with Axe...twas wondering if you could shed some light on the matter...?"

Ice Cream sighed heavily.

"It's a very long story."

"We have time," Arno said nodding to the outside world passing them by.

"...Why do you ask?"

"Because it's either I distract you with talk or I risk seeing more of your lunch."

Ice Cream snorted. The silence in the coach began to intensify between the two men as the carriage continued to bump along the road. Somewhere in the back of Arno's mind, his talk with Axe came to the fore front. When he had asked about what problems Green Coat and Ice Cream had had in the past, Axe had gone quiet then, before opening up. The ex-templar got the very distinct impression he was about to push Ice Cream in the same direction and thus nipped the conversation right in the bud. "Never mind, it's none of my business," he said as he leaned back in his seat, "Let's talk about something else-"

"Did you ever wonder why three Assassins were living in a run down apartment building?"

"It did cross my mind," Arno admitted with a shrug.

"The other Assassins, who are at the Palace of Versailles, came from HQs around Paris. They operate out of cafes, using them as a front...but it's a recent thing..."

"Recent thing?"

"There was a building, Arno, as you correctly mentioned, in the heart of Paris that was the Assassin's Head Quarters. Had been for over a hundred and fifty years."

"What happened to it?"

"It was burnt down just over a year ago. The building remains, but we have reports of the poor moving in, taking it over as a slum as the Revolution progresses."

"Surely we can renovate it when the unrest is over?" Arno asked, eyebrow raised. "I mean, why take on the problem of the guest house at Versailles? I understand that at present it's idle, but the amount of people milling around the main palace now, not to mention the gardens...do you not think it makes it very easy for Templars to infiltrate?"

"Why? Have you heard something?"

"No, but Templars are very protective over their buildings. They consider them a heritage and I would assume the Assassins thought the same, too."

Ice Cream shook his head with a small smile.

"When have you ever heard of the Assassins and Templars being of the same mind?"

"Good point," Arno said, "But you haven't answered my question."

"Axe thinks it's bad luck if we return there."

"Axe, does, does he?" Arno said looking out of the window, feeling agitation well up inside his chest at their large leader. "That man never tells me anything. All the missions that we've been on, I have had to second guess. Hell, he wouldn't even tell me about the man we were stalking, apart from he had a blue hat and feather-"

"What did you just say?"

Arno looked back and realized Ice Cream was staring at him like he was holding a bomb.

"Axe won't tell me who we've been stalking-"

"No, no, who, what did you say he looked like?"

"Blue hat and white feather...are...are alright, Ice Cream?"

Ice Cream slowly put a hand up covering his face.

Arno waited but Ice Cream breathed in very slowly.

"Does Green know you've been tracking this man with Axe?"

"No...?"

More silence, but yet the copper haired man didn't move.

"When we get back, Arno," Ice said into his palm, "you are to come with me straight to see Axe."

Arno paused. He _really_ didn't like the dark look on Ice Cream's face.

"What about Green Coat?"

"Do not tell him."

Arno felt a spike of annoyance mingled with confusion. More secrets.

"Why ever not?"

Ice Cream looked up, finally taking his hand away from his face revealing his eyes were red and face deathly pale but reminded silent.

"Did...did that man hurt you? In the stables?"

Ice Cream remained like a statue, eyes boring into Arno's. Well, in for a penny in for a pound...

"I saw the scars on Green's back," Arno said before quickly adding, "I inquired as to how he came about them from Axe."

Ice Cream looked at him.

"And yes, I know about the incident in the stables. Forgive me, Ice Cream, I have an insatiable habit for curiosity."

He saw Ice Cream regard him with suspicion.

"What has Axe been saying to you?"

"That there was a fight. You and Green were involved, along side some Novices."

"And you believed him?" Ice Cream said with a snort.

Arno paused, confused.

"What reason would I have to doubt him?"

Ice Cream began to slowly take off his gloves.

"Did Axe say why you're tracking that man? Did Axe say why the fight started? What they and that man did to me and Green Coat? Did Axe say that the target you've been stalking is missing his left ear?"

Arno paused. So it was true, the man Axe and himself had been looking for was responsible for what ever horror the other two Assassins had been through.

"He told me they did unspeakable things to you," Arno admitted, watching Ice Cream taking off is gloves "...while forcing Green to watch..."

"Oui, they did," Ice Cream continued with a dark chuckle, continuing to slowly take his gloves off his hands, "They bound him to a stone grinder and ripped the clothes from off his back....and tied me to where the horses are harnessed."

Arno swallowed.

"Why they attacked us Arno, was for three reasons. One, they found out about our relationship, which they took as a personal offense. Two, because in our possession was the lion statue, the very same one Frederic showed us, that the man you've been hunting for, wanted and still wants."

Arno kept silent and watched as the man pulled one glove off and began to pull at the other.

"And three...and three..." Ice said yanking at his gloves harshly, gritting his teeth, "Each time I cried out, he was lashed. What did they do to me? I'll let you draw your own conclusion," and with that Ice Cream lifted his hands to show one word branded into each of his palms.

_"Desolatoris Permadesco."_

~

Green Coat tapped his fingers on the table rhythmically. He looked over and picked up a discarded book, but upon seeing Latin letters decorating the cover he quickly put it back down with a sneer. Where was that man? Ten minutes Axe had said, and he was pretty sure he had been sitting here for over half an hour. An ornate mantlepiece clock chimed a sweet tune from behind him, making the young Assassin look over. Nope, not half an hour. One hour, exactly that he had been waiting here in the library. Green Coat flicked his eyes downwards to the newspapers on the table, a cheek resting on his fist. He must had read each twice by now. Stories of crime, political strife and most worrying of all, mentionings of a coming War with half of Europe. The other top stories were that troops had been pulled out of Paris to the relief of a nervous populist and the clergy had officially renounced all their riches. But the one story that got Green Coat's attention and would not leave were the alarming numbers of starvation cases. And it seemed their dear King didn't care, even after being hauled from the Palace of Versailles and into the Tuileries with his wife and children at gun point. To add insult to injury he continued to refuse to sign the Declaration of Man that stated in written verse that all are born equal. Green Coat scoffed to himself. The man was probably drinking to his exclusive royal health regardless-

  _“...and he's a right kinky bastard-” Green added, making..._

Green Coat blinked, concentrated more as that voice drifted in and then out of his mind, narrowing his eyes. That memory had been playing around and around in his head for a few days now but he couldn't pin point where it came from no matter how hard he tried.

_...making...making..._

Making? Making what? He listened again to his memory but got nothing more-

"Sorry to keep you, son," a voice called as the nearby door to the library opened. Green Coat looked up from his position sitting at the large table, focusing his eyes to Axe walking in and that large brown ledger he would write in that was under the man's arm. After him followed a very tired looking Frederic who smiled warmly at seeing the younger man, shutting the door with a small click.

Green Coat watched them take a seat each opposite him.

"Right, first off," Axe said as he sat himself down, and plonked the heavy book onto the table making it rattle. "How you been, lad?"

Green Coat blinked before offering a slight shrug, "Alright I guess...?"

"Good," Axe said not looking at him, opening up the ledger before adding under his breath, "damn, where was that page now?"

Green Coat waited in the awkward silence with Frederic as Axe flicked the pages backwards and forwards mumbling to himself. After a while Green Coat cleared his throat and turned to Frederic, "How's Camille?" For if there was one way to fill in awkward silences then it was with Frederic opening up his mouth. Green Coat smiled to himself. Let the verbal flood gate open.

"She's good, tired obviously, but good."

Silence fell as Axe continued to hunt for whatever he was looking for in the ledger, a couple of curse words flying quietly from his lips.

Green Coat nodded feeling put back that his plan of getting the man to waffle on had failed. Maybe he was too tired to talk?

"And the baby?"

Frederic smiled and nodded, looking like he was dreading whatever Axe was about to find in his book, "He's good, he's good."

Axe continued to search making Frederic cough.

"Well I can't find it," Axe said slamming the book together, "perhaps one of the others took the reference page-"

"Want me to go ahead?" Frederic said, looking pained as Axe huffed to himself with a nod.

Green Coat swallowed. What ever gave cause for concern to both Frederic and Axe couldn't be anything good. He looked up as the closet thing he had to a father turned in his seat to face him.

"Do you know a man by the name of Henri?"

"Should I?" Green Coat said bluntly with a raised eyebrow before he saw the look Axe gave him, making him cough, "No...no, I don't know anyone by that name-"

"Henri De la Vert?"

Green Coat cocked his head.

"De la Vert? A relation of yours?"

Frederic nodded with a pained expression, "A brother."

Green Coat frowned.

"I don't understand, I didn't know you had a brother?"

Frederic leaned forwards and locked eyes with the twenty-two year old.

"Has Ice Cream ever mentioned this name to you?"

"No...?" Green said slowly, not liking how intense Frederic's look was, "Why?"

"I know that Ice Cream is your lover and thus I need you to promise me something, Vincent..."

At the mention of his birth name and Frederic saying out loud who his lover was to the room at large made Green Coat aware the hairs on his arms were standing up on end.

"There is a man, an Assassin, called Henri on the top floor of this building who is under house arrest and shall be for a very long time. Promise me, with Axe as your witness, that you will not speak to this man or seek him out, am I clear?"

There was a pause.

"Why?"

"Promise me," Frederic pushed.

"Wait, _why_ would I seek him out?"

"Because..." Frederic coughed and looked to Axe for support.

"Has Ice ever told ya' about 'is teenager years?" the bearded Assassin said, "His real name?"

Green Coat narrowed his eyes and shrugged.

"He may have mentioned something..."

"Henri is very dangerous," Frederic cut in, "Which is why Ice Cream and Arno were sent away when they were. They won't be back for several weeks."

Green Coat felt his mouth drop open.

"What about the trip to Turkey?"

"So promise me," Mr De la Vert said again, ignoring the younger man, face deadly serious under his black and grey streaked shoulder length hair, "You will not seek this man out. You'll keep away from the top floor."

Green Coat leaned back and dug his heels in. He wasn't a child anymore and wait, why was Frederic so convinced he would seek this Henri out? Green Coat narrowed his eyes again with an intense frown.

"No, not until you tell me why. What does he have to do with Ice Cream?-"

"He knows Ice Cream," Axe said to his right making Green Coat look over.

"And?"

"And Ice Cream knows him," Frederic finished.

Green Coat felt a vein in his head throbbing.

" _How_ does he know him?"

Axe and Frederic quickly looked at each other.

"How?" Green Coat said a bit more forcefully than he had intended too, "Professionally or Intimately?"

"That," Frederic said gently, "is for Ice Cream to tell you, not us."

Green Coat began to grind his teeth together.

"Then why bring me in here, make me wait and then proceed to tell me there is a man in this building that is connected to my partner, whom I am not to come into contact with, but yet I am denied a reason why?"

Axe and Frederic kept silent as Green Coat looked between them, his anger starting to flood into his eyes.

"Just trust us," Axe said, "When Ice gets back you can bring the subject up with him. But for now it's for ya own good if you don't go up any more floors than this one for ya own safety."

Green Coat rounded on the man.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Promise us you will not seek him out," Frederic said more firmly this time, "That is an order."

Green Coat stared incredulous at both Frederic and Axe. He went to open up his mouth in protest but stopped. Seek him out? What reason would he have to seek this man out? An idea formed in Green Coat's head as he held his tongue and forced his head into an uncomfortable nod.

 "I promise."

Frederic slowly leaned back in his chair, also with a nod, before patting his once adoptive son on the shoulder, "Thank you, Vincent."

"Right, onto the next agenda," Axe said, as he once again opened up the ledger and began flicking through the tanned and dirty pages, "Aha! Here we are, damn page was stuck, who the hell ate around this with...is that honey?"

"Oh, that might have been Mrs Breton," Frederic offered, "She used the ledger as a stand once for the pots, I told her not too-"

But Green Coat wasn't listening as the two men began to talk about Mrs Breton, honey and the Revolution. He missed how the conversation continued on into what effect the coming war was to have on both Brotherhood of Assassins and Templars.

_"...you will not seek him out."_

Green Coat coughed as he was offered a mug of water by Frederic. He nodded a thanks and brought it to his lips, taking a sip, dully aware of the other men's conversation that Master Connor was to arrive in a few days time, apparently and which room would best house him. The young man cast his eyes to the ceiling. If there was one thing he was going to do was the second this meeting ended, he was to go up to the top most floor and asses this 'threat'. To hell with orders, he thought, if Ice Cream was under threat-

"Any questions, Green?" _  
_

The young Assassin paused, Axe's voice jarring him out of his thoughts before shaking his head, keeping his silence as he looked into his still full mug of water.

"Good, then I believe it's time for grub," Axe said with a merry smile, chugging back his own cup of water in one gulp and pushing back his chair as Frederic did the same, both men finishing their drinks-

_“...and he's a right kinky bastard-” Green added, making..._

The young Assassins made a face of frustration as that all too familair memory floated back to him. Where they hell had that memory come from? When did it happen? Green Coat scoffed and gave up. He must have drempt it all up, he mused as he tipped his head back and took a gulp-

_“...and he's a right kinky bastard-” Green added, making Arno choke on his drink._

Green Coat spat the water out and began to choke.

"Green?" Frederic called and ran from the door back over to the coughing youngster, slapping him a couple of times on the back.

Green Coat swallowed, gaining control of his breathing before he felt his mouth go dry. Now he knew where that memory had come from. But that wasn't what disturbed him.

Arno knew of their relationship.

~

"Desolatoris Permadesco?"

Ice Cream nodded, putting his hands down and gloves back on.

"What does that mean?"

"It's Latin for someone who is desolate...and," Ice Cream said with a wry smile, "Effeminate."

Arno made a face of semi confusion.

"Why would they do such a horrendous thing?"

"I am not sure...but after what they did," the copper haired man said before he sighed, "...I've been rendered barren."

Arno blinked confused.

"Do you know what I mean by 'barren', Arno?" Ice Cream asked, sensing the younger man's question.

Arno shook his head and waited for Ice Cream to continue.

"I cannot conceive a child."

Arno blinked.

"Oh...I'm, I'm sorry."

"It's alright," the elder man said, flexing his hands in the now sheathed gloves, "I'd make a terrible father anyway, just ask Axe, I used to spoil his daughter rotten..."

Arno smiled at the visual image of Ice Cream being a father.

"But why the cruel branding?"

"Perhaps they thought it would be hilarious to have the fact I cannot create life be a constant reminder. Even as effeminate as I am," Ice Cream tacked onto the end with a self loathing smirk, "As to why it's in Latin, no idea."

"What happened to your attackers?"

"A fire started and they, including Mr Blue Hat, ran...just as well, really. The fire ended up saving mine and Green Coat's life," Ice continued staring at the palms of his hands, picking at the gloves finger tips, "Axe found us...well, he found Green first I was told and then I was found later under the collapsed roof. I don't remember any of it apart from waking up in a hospital bed."

Arno listened as his friend continued.

"We were in the infirmary for five weeks recovering. He never left my side..." Ice quietly trailed off, obviously talking about Green Coat, Arno mused.

"So why did the _HQ_ burn down?" the Ex-Templar asked, "I thought you said the stables were set on fire?"

"The thing with fire Arno, is that you can trace where it started. So obviously it started in the stables. However, _that_ fire was put out by Axe and others but..."

"But?"

"Eight weeks later another fire broke out, in the workshop.... and it raised the HQ to the ground...the cause of which is the reason why our group can never go back. Master Connor's orders."

"Why can't you go back?" Arno swallowed wishing with all his might that they were not having this conversation and hating the fact he had initiated it. Why did he keep doing this?

Ice Cream looked up at him through his messy copper hair.

"Because it was Green Coat who started the fire."

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Please pardon the month delay, this was due to a hospital stay (all better now!)
> 
> History Note:  
> Bread in the 1700s and 1800s was an infamous food known to be untrustworthy. Sawdust, ash, ground bones and even chalk have been recorded as being put into making flour and helping to bolster the look of bread. Thank goodness now-er days we have laws to stop this!
> 
> Extra Note:  
> Today I learnt that Same Sex Marriage is now legal across America. The world is looking brighter :)


	23. Stand and Deliver. Part Three.

~

Green Coat coughed a few more times, trying to dislodge the water droplets from his lungs as Frederic slapped him on the back. The young Assassin put his hand up in thanks and the thumping on his back ceased.

"Everything fine with you, lad?" Axe called walking back over as Green Coat wiped his mouth with his thick coat sleeve before looking up at his ex mentors with a dark look.

"He knows..."

Frederic and Axe both sported identically confused faces.

"Knows? Who knows?"

"Arno...about...," but Green Coat was having a hard time saying it with Frederic there, but then had to remind himself that the man already knew Ice Cream was his lover.

"You and Ice?"

Green Coat nodded before he jerked back at the loudest laugh he had ever heard come from the large axe carrying Assassin.

"Son, he's known since the Bastille!" Axe laughed, "What, don't give me that look, you think those walls back at the apartment were sound proof and we mugs in the next room couldn't 'ear ya?"

"He's known all along?" Green Coat said with a withdrawn voice, feeling his cheeks heating up rapidly.

"Aye," Axe chuckled, "but don't that just speak volumes, eh?"

"What do you mean?"

"He's known you two have been navigating the windward passage for some time now-"

Green Coat winced sharply, looking away as the older man spoke of his sexual activities out loud, especially with Frederic present.

"-And if he had any qualms about it, don't you think 'e would have done or said somethin' by now?"

Green Coat could feel the heat and embarrassment radiating from his face and hated to think how much he currently resembled a cooked lobster, as he remained silent, this new piece of information about Arno refusing to calm or sway his mind.

"We know why you're protective over Ice Cream, hell, even I am," Frederic said gently, giving Axe a sideways glance, "...but Arno's not a threat. Yes, he was a Templar but he's not anymore. He can help us-"

"What if he turns?" Green Coat said with a haunting look, feeling his embarrassment evaporate, "like the last one?"

The men fell silent as the young man shook his head.

"I'm not risking Ice Cream and myself again-"

"No one is asking you too, Vince," Frederic said with a small smile, "What happened at the stables...we know the fact you couldn't save him still torments you. Hell, I wouldn't know what to do with myself if it was Camille instead."

Green Coat willed with all his might his emotions to calm as Axe coughed loudly.

"The entire event disturbed us all, even if most Assassin's don't know the full truth of what transpired. Even Master Connor was taken that one of our own turned-"

"So why give this one a chance?" Green Coat snarled, "Why except someone into our Order who was raised in such a mind set? A leopard can never change it's spots...and to think he's with Ice Cream now, alone-"

"What has Arno actually _done_ to you, hmm?" Axe said crossing his arms, looking down at the seated Assassin with a dark brown eyebrow cocked. "All this time we've been a four man team, what evidence do you have he's plotting to turn? Give me an example."

Green Coat grit his teeth, "He's a Templar. Do I need another example?"

" **Ex-Templar** , son," Axe said with a stoney look, "and yes. Next example."

Green Coat could feel his patience wearing very thin.

"He's arrogant, stuck up, thinks the world revolves around him thus we have had to put _our_ lives in danger to protect _him_ , not to mention engages with other people's things when he has no right-"

"I hope you're not talking about Ice Cream?" Axe said with a warning look.

Green Coat shut his mouth at the look and stared right back at the man.

"...you don't have to be frightened of him," Frederic said into the silence with a calm voice before his adoptive son turned on him.

"I," Green Coat said with the utmost venom, pointing a finger at Frederic, hating how Ice Cream, Axe and now Frederic tended to reach the same conclusion about him, "...am **not** frightened of him."

The elder Assassins watched the younger one fume.

"Francois is in Lyon, that's where they've gone," Frederic said, breathing in and throwing an exhausted look to Axe, nodding to the door, "When Ice gets back I suggest having a talk to him about our earlier discussion. You have no rival in Arno for his affections-"

"Aye, it's not like Arno's gonna bend 'im over some haystack-"

"I think," Green Coat said loudly as he felt that vein throbbing at his temple sharply, "I would very much like to end this conversation now, gentlemen."

"Fair enough," Axe snorted reaching over to the table, picking up a random mug and taking a gulp of water before exhaling with a loud "Ahh..."

"Give Arno a chance," Frederic said with small and tight smile before bidding them both goodbye and wondering out of the room.

Green Coat sighed loudly rubbing his eyes as he grunted and stood up from the table.

"Don't worry son, they'll both be back before you know it," Axe said picking up the large brown book and putting it under a huge arm, before he stopped and turned around,  "Oh, now, before I forget..."

Green Coat leaned back as the larger Assassin put a thick arm around his shoulders, "how's your search for a woman goin'?"

~

"What?!" Arno almost shouted inside the small stage coach, " _Green_ burnt the Assassin's Head Quarters down?"

"Did you see how much gun powder he had put into our apartment fail safe?" Ice Cream said with a raised copper eyebrow.

Arno paused as an old memory came back to him.

_He had tried to corner one of the other Assassin's the moment he left the meeting room to find out just what the heck was going on, but from the speed at which they where gathering things, jerking books and large pieces of paper off of shelves, he decided not too. Especially when he saw Green Coat with bottles of gun powder._

Arno frowned as another memory bubbled to the surface.

_Arno saw a flash of green and tore after him. He ran over the roof tops, grabbing at the edges of the roofs, lifting himself up with a grunt as the two young Assassins made their escape. Arno saw the other two Assassins doing the same, as finally they all jumped onto the same roof. Suddenly there was an almighty boom, the sounds of wood and glass shattering as the roof of the Assassin HQ behind them exploded in a rain of fire. The shock wave made the Assassins hit the tiles of the building, they were currently scampering across, with a surprised cry._

"Oui, but I thought...," Arno wanted to laugh at Axe's voice in his head cursing Green Coat's miss judgement on how much gun powder he had used to blow up the apartment HQ, "...so what? Green Coat's a pyromaniac-?"

"No," Ice Cream said staunchly, "but...what happened to me, and after having those marks put on his back...the entire thing hit him hard. It hit _all_ of us hard. But it hit him harder than anyone realized...until it was too late-"

"So he took revenge by setting fire to the Parisian HQ?"

Ice Cream nodded.

"But that makes no sense," Arno almost laughed, "Why set fire to his home?-"

There was a thump on the roof.

Both Assassin's had just enough time to look up before a piercing scream came from the driver.

"BANDITS!"

~

Green Coat walked down the long corridor of the Royal Palace's Guest House with an uncharacteristic spring to his step. It seemed the Gods were on his side. After Frederic had left Axe had spoken to him about organizing a night to carry on his lineage. Green Coat had wanted to storm out of the room but after Axe had grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back down onto his seat, felt that he didn't need any more bruises to his arm. Axe had said he had a week to find an eligible lady to do the deed with and was to be interviewed first before the next stage. Green Coat had purposely been lax in his findings and just as well. Most of the female Assassins available had either boyfriends or husbands and the last few were considered too old. Except one. One annoying blonde haired woman who he and Axe had just finished a quick meeting with. His leader had introduced him to the woman, twenty-five years old, single and was not only willing to carrying a child with First Civilization Blood but had no interest in playing happy families with him. Upon their first meeting Green Coat had stared at her and she had stared right back. After a while he begrudgingly agreed that she had her head screwed on and if anything she was a nice person. Which made him scowl, trying more fervently ways to find more excuses to hate her. She even had blue eyes. He snorted. Ice Cream would love her. But every time he thought about his duty a cold shiver washed over him. It wasn't so much he didn't think she was attractive, for she did have a certain air about her. But she wasn't Ice Cream.

If only his partner could conceive...

After going over a few questions with Axe during the interview, did she smoke, did she drink, when was she last ill, etc, it was decided that she was the one best suited for the job. However Green Coat kept silent during the talks and realized with a snort of annoyance that the only people who had agreed on this baby making union were Axe and her. Maybe if he shut his eyes during his "duty" then he could get over the feeling of betrayal. But that was even if he could perform. He had begun to feel sick as time progressed at the prospect but again, fortune had smiled on him, for the night of the planned union she had come to him and Axe in the afternoon and announced she had begun menstruating. Green Coat tried not to let a huge sigh of relief escape his lips as she apologized, asking for two weeks grace before they could attempt the first try and proudly left the room.

"At least wait for her leave the room before you start grinning, idiot," Axe had muttered before looking at him, sighing and leaving the large stateroom with a, "Make yourself useful, Master Connor will be in 'ouse soon, make sure that lion statue is ready for him to look at."

"What about the trip to Turkey?"

"That's why he's commin' here!" Axe shouted over his shoulder from the door way and was gone.

Green Coat stood in the now empty room and scratched his neck, looking up at the ceiling. He had surprisingly kept his promise and not ventured upwards to the top most floor. Not because he didn't want too, but because people had been pulling him left right and center in tasks and missions. But now he was free...

_"Henri is very dangerous," Frederic cut in, "Which is why Ice Cream and Arno were sent away when they were. They won't be back for several weeks."_

_"-it's for ya own good if you don't go up any more floors than this one for ya own safety."_

His own safety? Why would his safety be jeopardized if he met this 'Henri' bloke? The mysterious man was not only Frederic's brother but knew Ice Cream too, so what did that mean? Green Coat took one step and nearly vomited as suddenly a sick and hot jolt bubbled in his stomach as a memory came to him.

_An older brother bought it..._

_"...holy shit," Green Coat breathed, eyes wide, "...it was an Assassin."_

_Ice Cream froze._

_"An Assassin bought it for you..."_

_Ice Cream bowed his head, his face being obscured by his cowl._

_Green Coat watched as his lover began to tense but couldn't stop himself from letting slip the next sentence._

_"But you were a teenager, what was an Assassin doing giving you presents?-"_

Green Coat slowly looked up, the words from the past echoing and dancing around the room as if they were merrily bouncing off the walls to taunt him as he stared at the ceiling above him. This was that Assassin. It had to be. A man that had caused Ice Cream to have a near emotional break down. He had never in all the time Frederic was his adoptive father and mentor, heard that the man had a sibling. Why? The twenty-two year old carefully walked to the corner of the room, continuing to stare up at the plastered ceiling like a predator with a prey item. Obviously the man was an Assassin, and an older one if he knew Ice Cream when his lover was a teenager. Green Coat felt his body move, Assassins senses engaging at a heightened speed, taking one step after the other as he opened up and window and secretly climbed upwards, stalking his way to the top most floor.

~

"BANDITS!"

Arno shot to the side of his seat as the coach's door flew open. He didn't have time to see who it was before Ice Cream pointed his pistols at the shadow in the doorway. The gun fired and smoke from the weapon engulfed the inside of the tiny coach compartment they were sat in, making Arno gag, before the dead bandit fell out.

"Get Alexina!" Ice Cream shouted as Arno climbed out of the other door at lightning speed, the forest and trees outside flying past in a blur. He yanked his hidden blades free from his sleeves and climbed to the top of the coach. What greeted him was a tall man wresting with a very short girl. Arno moved on instinct and drove his blades into the back of the man's neck, before shoving him off and over the side of the speeding coach. Alexina turned around in the driver's seat and before she could say anything her eyes went from Arno's face to something over his left shoulder. He turned and was smacked in the face with the butt of a rifle. Arno hit the roof of the carriage but used the momentum to fling his legs out at his attacker and trip him up. The tall man went down on his back as Arno, blood cascading from his broken nose down his face got up and launched himself at the man, branches of trees and leaves buffering into them all. Alexina pulled the reigns of the horses back to slow them down but something off to the side caught her eye.

"THEY'RE GONNA RAM US!"

A shot whistled past Arno's right ear and he looked over to see the other carrage catching up with them. A fist came out and Arno felt his head explode in pain as he went down, hitting the roof and sliding sideways, clinging on for dear life as the terrified horses shrieked and galloped faster.

"GER'OFF OF HIM!"

Arno looked up and saw Ice Cream climbing up onto the roof before hurling himself at the other man. The two began to grapple as all three men slipped across the roof of the coach as the horses turned a corner. Arno looked up and saw again that second black stage coach with three bandits clinging to the sides hollering, firing their rifles every now and again at the trio, trying to line their vehicle up with theirs. Arno saw a glint and felt his heart stop.

Templars.

Each heavily armed man had a red cross emblazoned across the left side of their coats and Arno suddenly mused they looked like a target symbol. Somewhere in his brain, Arno wondered if he recognized any of their faces. But none seemed familiar to him. The ex-Templar shook the blood from his face and went to move from his sprawl but found the retracting part of his right hand hidden blade had caught in the net of the box luggage that was tied to one half of the roof. He pulled and pulled but to no avail. He was stuck. Arno heard his friend yell with a shout and a thump and looked back to see the taller man straddling Ice Cream against the coach's black roof, his hands round his neck.

Adrenalin increased through his body as Arno thrashed, feeling his pistol slide out of the holster at his hip. He snapped his left wrist back, engaging his hidden blade, trying to cut the net, if only he could cut through it, he only had to move to the side a bit-

Arno stopped and stared, blinking blood from his broken nose away from his eyes, for not only did the sight of his friend being attacked send him into a trance, but holding Ice Cream in a lock around his throat was a man with a blue had and white feather who began to laugh.

"You're very difficult to find, Iris."

Arno saw Ice Cream look up and gasp, his body freezing in fear.

"No, no, no, it can't be you-"

The man cackled as Arno dully became aware of something slithering like snakes against his wrists. He glanced up to his hands and saw a chain and a smooth, almost pebble like, padlock wrapped around his wrists. Arno pulled at the metal but it wouldn't budge. He tried to slip his gloves off to gain better traction but he was bound too tightly to do so. He turned the lock around in his fingers, trying to feel for a join but there wasn't any. There wasn't even a key hole.

"Shocked to see me? I would have thought you'd be pleased-" Arno heard the man say, before he heard Ice Cream growl.

"Get off me you sick bastard!"

"No, no, that's not how one talks to an old friend," the man said, "Besides, you took something of mine and it seems you need a refresher in what happens when you do that. I take something of yours. Do you not remember the fun we had at the stables?"

Arno shimmed his body round, fingers grabbing at metal, as he heard Ice Cream spit in the man's face.

"You're going to regret that," The man with the blue hat and white feather said, as he raised his fist, snapping a hidden blade into view with a sickening 'snick'.

BANG!

Blood spurted over Ice Cream's face as the attacker was blown to the side. Ice Cream looked up, blinking away blood and saw Arno lying down on the other side of the roof awkwardly holding a smoking pistol. The Lock Picker looked next to him and saw where their aggressor had been shot clean through the cheek and out the other side. Before either of Assassin could do anything, the coach lurched to the right and the man fell with a shout, tumbling down the side and falling into a ditch, making the other two grab onto anything they could as the carriage went up on two wheels before crashing back down onto four.

"They're still coming!" Alexina screamed as the black carriage and three Templars inched closer to their own vehicle.

Ice Cream came to his senses and crawled up to Arno on his belly across the roof, avoiding the bullets flying frequently over their heads.

"I can't break free!" Arno shouted, pulling at his restraints.

"You won't be able too!" Ice Cream shouted before he added, "Lean back!"

Arno did as he was told, turning his face away from his arms, as he felt Ice Cream bring something out of his tanned over coat. Suddenly Arno felt like his hands were on fire. He looked down and found, to his great astonishment, that they were. He was about to scream from the expected pain before the fire vanished, licking from his hands and up onto the luggage like a snake, coiling itself round the boxes.  Arno blinked. The lock and metal restraints had vanished. Arno looked up to see Ice Cream pocketing something white and marble into his pocket before looking back down at his own hands. Expecting to see his hands chard and burnt beyond belief, he found that they were remarkably unharmed. Like he had imaged the fire. He flexed his fingers to confirm that no harm had come to that part of his anatomy when he heard Ice Cream shout from behind him.

"Come on!"

Ice Cream crawled back over to Alexina who looked like she was about to have a heart attack.

"Here they come!"

"HOLD ON!"

The second coach came crashing through the hedges and slammed right into the Assassin's left flank. All three shouted as their coach jerked in the opposite direction, wood smashing and breaking off in all directions as their horses shrieked from the impact, jostling against each other.

"Alex!" Ice Cream shouted as tree branches sliced pasted them, as the coach threatened to veer off into the forest, "Direct Level-"

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" She screamed over her shoulder seeing the carriage lining up for another assault before something at the back of their coach got her attention.

"IS THAT FIRE?!-"

"JUST DO IT!"

Alexina made the symbol of the holy cross on her chest and threw the horse's reigns to the side. She squatted, before making a calculated guess and leaped forwards onto the nearest galloping horse. The leather straps holding the beast to the frame of the coach was cut free as Arno watched the girl and horse break away and begin to gallop along side until their carriage was being pulled by only three horses.

"Tell them he's alive!" Ice Cream shouted as the girl galloped alongside them, "He knows we're here and give Green Coat this!"

Arno looked up from his crouch on the roof, his fingers holding onto the ropes on the roof's top, feeling the heat of the fire from their luggage licking at his feet and saw Ice Cream quickly put something marble into a purple bag, lean over and throw it to Alexina who caught it.

"Now go! Don't stop for anyone!"

"Yes, Sir!"

And with that the girl and horse sped off into the dark forest.

Arno and Ice Cream just had time to look at each other before they were both slammed sideways as the Templar's carriage smashed into theirs again. Arno cried out as once again their coach tipped up on two wheels before crunching back down on four. Arno reached over, took out his other pistol and shot at the men. One cried out and fell, leaving two remaining. Arno ducked, using the rim of the coach's roof as a shield as Ice Cream did the same thing. Arno quickly climbed to a better vantage point before looking over the edge and paused. There was only one man left on the other coach. The driver. Which meant...

"Wait, where's the other one?" he said looking down at Ice Cream, who was clinging to the side of the coach. Suddenly the man's eyes widened and Arno was aware of a shadow over him. There was an inhuman roar as the second Templar lashed out with a sabre stabbing at Arno. There was a bang, more smoke to the side of his face as the Ex-Teplar realized Ice Cream had shot the man in the face.

"CHEERS!" Arno shouted as the dead Templar slid off the side and the last Templar jumped from his coach and began to attack them.

"Catch!" Ice Cream shouted at Arno, picking up the dis-guarded sword their last attacker left and threw the hilt to his friend. The twenty-one year old caught the blade and spun with it, slamming it into the bandit, who sensed this move, turned and the sabre flew up in the air and out of Arno's grasp. Ice dived for it and caught it on the edge of the coach's roof, watching as both his pistols were thrown into the air and out of sight as the flaming coach bumped along at high speed. Suddenly the man's fist came out and connected to Ice Cream's wrist, who cried out and accidentally let go of the sabre at the motion, watching it tumble off of the roof. The Bandit-Templar's second blow was about to connect to the side of Ice Cream's face before Arno threw his spent pistol and it collided with the man's head. He fell backwards and into the fire with a shout, before wildly thrashing around and falling off the side in a fiery ball. Both men, bloodied and bruised looked at each other. Ice Cream and Arno shared a smirk of triumph at having thwarted their pursuers before Ice Cream saw something behind Arno.

"Oh shit."

Arno was about to ask what until he looked behind him at where their carriage was heading.

~

Green Coat stared at the white door. Behind it was a man that was apparently dangerous to both Ice Cream and himself. The young man looked left and right, checking for any signs of others present. When he was satisfied, he quickly pulled a pick from out of his sleeve and picked the lock. He felt the lock give and quietly slipped in. He looked around at the room. The room was huge. He had been suspecting a smaller one considering its occupant was under house arrest but this looked like a penthouse. Well, it was formerly, a voice in his head called. Twas probably saved for dear King Louis's mistress. Green Coat looked around from his position at the door, quietly shutting it behind himself. He felt the weight of both his hidden blades under his sleeves and a couple of other weapons concealed should he need them-

Green Coat spotted the man. An old man, from the looks of it. His dark cloaked back was to him, seated in a small chair by the window, the sounds of a quill scratching nosily. The young man watched and calculated the threat. He kept his breathing to the quietest register as he possibly could as he crouched down and moved away from the fire on the right hand side. Move over that way and the fire would cast a shadow. Best to move over to his left on this silent carpet-

"I wouldn't step there, son," the old man's kind voice called making Green Coat freeze, "a creaky floorboard will give you away. Step to the one on the right, I find that one is not so noisy."

Green Coat stared before he quickly looked down and saw the man was correct. Under the edge of the carpet was evidence that a floor board to his left was loose. He heard the man turn to face him in the chair.

"Ah," the old man said, "I don't think we've met..."

"Who are you?" Green Coat said, cutting straight to the chase as he straightened up, feeling anger, fear and nerves collide within himself. He called forth his Assassin training to control them.

The old man chuckled.

"A man waiting for his time."

Green Coat studied the man. He looked in his late sixties, maybe even seventies. His hair was white and rather long and had a kind face. But Green Coat knew full well looks could be deceiving.

"You've come to ask me something, I can tell," the old man said, looking back at his desk and putting the quill back in its ink pot, scattering sand on the ink words before blowing it off the drying ink.

"Why are you locked up here?"

"Why are _you_ here asking me?" the old man asked, amused he had a surprise visitor.

Green Coat narrowed his eyes at the switch in who the interviewer was. Plus he was never one for going round the houses to get information. Get in, get info, get out.

"You're a De la Vert?"

"Yes, that is my second name," the man nodded thoughtfully in his tired and worn out voice, "I assume you know of my brother, for you are wearing his coat."

"This is my coat, no one else's."

The man paused at the quick reply and smiled, closing his eyes with a nod, "Indeed for you seem very sure of that fact."

Green Coat kept watching as the old man continued.

"Perhaps then you may know a fellow named, erm, Ice Cream?" the old man asked, hope blossoming across his face.

Green Coat felt his hackles rise but kept his face impassive.

"Why do you want to know?"

"It's a...it's very long story, but...I only wish to apologize."

Green Coat felt his interest prick.

"Apologize? For what?"

The man sighed sadly looking down at the letter he was writing.

"...that I couldn't save him."

Green Coat blinked. An odd feeling of familiarity warmed inside of him for he too had the demons of not being able to save Ice Cream living within himself. Maybe this man and he were not so different. But how did he know Ice Cream?

"Couldn't save him from what?"

"How old are you?" the man asked looking up, scrutinizing him as he leaned back in his chair.

"Twenty- two," Green Coat answered truthfully, for he saw no reason to lie.

"Ah, you were too young to know of what the Assassins were up against back then, no matter."

Green Coat relaxed his shoulders. This man didn't seem the slightest bit dangerous at all. If anything he seemed more like someone's grandfather who was carrying the weight of the world him. However, Green wasn't about to lay down his guard.

"And you, my boy, who are you?"

Every fiber of his being was telling him not to answer. But this one sliver of wanting to know more about Ice Cream's teenage years, in conjunction with that feeling of familiarity made the young man think otherwise.

"My name is Green Coat and I'm-"

"A lock smith?"

Green Coat blinked, cocking his head in surprise.

"Or a lock picker, am I right? Both?"

The young Assassin felt his mouth dry up, lost of words.

"I noticed the pick you used, the sound it made inside the lock, could only be properly utilized by someone in the lock smithing and picking trade. And," the old man said with a chuckle, "you look not unlike a younger version of my brother so I assume he taught you a fair bit on the subject?"

Green Coat nodded cautiously, blinking.

"Oui, you are correct. I am a lock smith, primarily but..."

The old man raised his grey eyebrows as the youngster hesitated.

"You're a lock smith, sir?"

"Yes, and a Lock Picker. Henri De la Vert, at your service. The De la Verts were best in the business. No chest of vault too difficult to break or make."

Green Coat smirked.

"Then why not break out of this room?"

"Arthritis," the man said with a scoff, "I'm not as fast as I used to be and the moment I'd get outside my younger brother will have caught me. For now, I write and create," he said gesturing to the many pieces of paper at his desk.

Green Coat saw a detailed diagram and leaned in for a better look, his hidden blade at the ready should he need it.

"A new lock I designed yesterday," the man said reaching over and offering the thin piece of paper to Green Coat before he laughed, "I'm not going to bite son, I can tell you're armed and I'd hope by now you can see I'm not. Come and sit down."

Green Coat watched as the old man leaned over and jerked a neighboring chair out slightly. Despite his better judgement, the young Assassin walked over and pulled the chair out and sat on it, keeping a safe distance away just in case.

"Like a true Assassin, I like that," the old man said noticing the physical gap between them while gathering up his papers and picking out diagrams. He handed a stack to the young man.

"These are exquisite..." Green Coat breathed as he looked through them, pictures upon pictures of mechanical contraptions that began to charm him, that voice in his head to be careful of Henri De la Vert fading the more he looked at them until one lock design caught his eye, "...the circular springs in this one alone would prove near impossible to break."

"Yes, near impossible...but not impossible," the man said tapping his nose. "Now have you heard of Duhamel du Monceau? He's been rather adventurous in recent years, too arty in the outer cases if you ask me..."

 And so the meeting took a very surprising and somewhat pleasant turn. For the next half an hour the older man showed the younger many new locks he had designed and a couple that were perplexing him. Green Coat offered up his advice, while still never moving his chair too close to the man. His hidden blades ready at the slightest hint of threat.

The knob at the door turned and both Green and Henri turned in their seats. The older man swiftly nodded to a large couch at the side and Green Coat followed his orders, quickly stuffing one of the diagrams he was making notes on into his coat jacket, jumping behind the piece of furniture and crouching down, just in time before a man walked in, shutting the door.

"Ah, good afternoon Frederic. For what reason do I owe the pleasure?"

Green Coat peeked from under the couch as he saw a murderous looking Frederic pull out a pistol from his jacket and point it at the old man.

"The lion," the younger De la Vert said, his face devoid of emotion, "Where is it?"

"I'm sorry?"

"The lion," Frederic spat, making Green Coat's blood run cold. This was the Assassin Frederic he remembered from his childhood, before he became a showman.

"How should I know?" the seated man shrugged with a laugh, seemingly not bothered a gun was in his face, "I took a look at it under your supervision and gave it back to you over three weeks ago."

Frederic didn't lower his weapon, his cold stare never changing.

Henri looked at his brother with affection.

"You won't kill me," the old man said with a smile, looking over the top of his spectacles and up the barrel of the gun.

"Give me one reason not too," Green Coat saw his once adoptive father say.

"Because I know too much," the old man whispered, almost with glee, "And I think it's especially bad luck to kill your own brother, is it not?"

Green Coat continued to watch the drama unfolding in front of him from under the couch, his body pressed to the cold wooden floor and saw Frederic hesitantly lower his weapon.

"Three weeks ago, you say?"

"Yes..."

Frederic sighed and swore, rubbing his eyes with the back of a hand.

"When was the last time you slept-?"

"I'm tired, Henri," Frederic suddenly said, with a long exhale, "I'm so very tired of all this," he continued, waving the grey and copper pistol between them.

"Then let me see him and I will leave."

"No, that you cannot do."

"Why ever not?"

"Iris has moved on, he is not the person you remember."

Green Coat held his breath, ears straining, trying to not miss anything the two brothers were saying.

"To see you again would cause him great distress. Plus," Green Coat heard Frederic say, "...because he's got a new life now. A new partner now. One that doesn't cause him pain, or take advantage, unlike you did."

Green Coat felt his heart and stomach drop.

"Who is this Assassin?" the older man asked softly.

"Another Lock Smith, ironically," Frederic snorted, "a bit young, but he takes good care of him."

"A young Lock Smith, you say?"

"Oui," Frederic said quickly, before a very faint baby's cry could he heard from the floors downstairs.

"I believe your child is calling you, brother."

"This is not over Henri," Frederic said looking back from the door, pointing the gun back at the old man, who put his hands up in weak submission as Frederic De la Vert left the room and relocked it loudly.

There was an eery silence.

Words and feelings began swimming around and around, faster and faster in Green's gut and soul so much that he couldn't make any sense of them. However, what he was very aware of was the other occupant in the room. Green Coat stood up very slowly from behind the couch and locked eyes with the old man whom, only until a few minutes ago, was pleasantly enjoying the company of.

The two Assassins regarded each other.

"Ice Cream has chosen wisely, I see," Henri said, no smile on his face.

"Monsieur, I will ask again," Green Coat said, feeling his voice trembling, " _How_ do you know Ice Cream?"

Green Coat felt his skin crawl as the old Assassin looked him dead in the eye.

"I'm his husband."

~

 Green Coat quickly left the room and relocked it with shaking hands. Numbly he began to walk along the corridor, and down the stairs, descending two flights, before he realized there was something crisp and thin rubbing against his chest. He looked down, momentarily distracted, and saw the paper schematics for Henri's lock were still in his inside pocket. Green Coat yanked it out of his coat and stared at it. A wave of feeling betrayed so great took him over and he scrunched that poor piece of paper up in a fit of anger and threw it into a nearby vase.

_"I'm his husband."_

No.

__"I'm his husband."_ _

No, that couldn't be right.

_"I'm his husband."_

No, it was not possible, if that was so, surely Ice Cream would have said something?

_"I'm his husband."_

Green Coat growled, trying to get rid of the man's voice from his head and hating how he had admired and envied the man's talents.

 "Green Coat?"

The Assassin spun round in shock.

"Green are you quite alright? You look like you've seen a ghost," Camille asked as she walked up to the young man with her son in her arms, putting a soft hand on the younger man's arm. "You're trembling-"

"Oui, I, I mean...it's nothing...really..." he said, feeling her touch calming him, despite the emotions running rampant inside of him. He seemed to be going dizzy until he saw the baby in her arms. Feeling suddenly more grounded, Green Coat curiously leaned over, desperate to distract himself and stole a glance at the baby in Camille's arms. It was such a curious thing, a baby-

"Would you like to hold him?"

Green Coat paused looking up, feeling his face pale further still. Either from the  prospect of holding a newborn baby or from what he had just experienced, he wasn't sure.

"No, that's perfectly alright. I have no experience-"

"Oh, nonsense," the woman chuckled, "don't you remember when you were young you helped keep a baby warm?"

Green Coat frowned perplexed.

"I have no knowledge of this."

"Here, come and hold him," Camille said moving closer, "I can tell your tense, but you're going to have one soon with that blonde girl I heard Axe mention. Go sit on that bench, you'll feel more comfortable."

"Nothing's happened," he felt himself blurt out as he took a step away, nervously. It was true, they had not shared a bed so Camille was getting her hopes up too early for a potential playmate for her son. He loved Camille but like one would love a mother. For as long as he had known her, she had been by Frederic's side. His rock. Green Coat would admit he remembered little from his childhood, but when ever he tried, Frederic and Camille were always there. They had been friends for a long time before romance blossomed between the two Assassins and he wondered if his arrival as Frederic's sudden adopted child at three years of age didn't help speed things along. Before Green Coat could protest that now wasn't a good time to be holding a precious thing such as a baby, a voice called from behind him.

"Green, lad, a word please."

Green Coat nodded to Axe, turning to Camille with an apologetic smile while hiding his immense relief.

"Well, I'm pleased you're at least somewhat interested in having a kid-"

"I know what you're going to say, so don't bother-" Green Coat said as he walked to Axe's side, hands in his pockets and his shoulder length black hair swaying as he moved.

"Green-"

"I'm not going to sleep with that blonde woman," the green clad Assassin said, putting a hand up, "end of story."

"Vince," Axe said barely audible, "You linage needs to continue, I promised your father that when you came of age. Ice Cream won't mind-"

"Oh I'm sure," Green Coat mumbled sarcastically at the mention of the other man, trying with all his might to ignore anything he had heard or said to Henri De la Vert, before he paused. There was already a baby in the building, and well, he might as well give his idea a try, "...I hereby give the succession to Camille and Fredric's son."

Axe sighed.

"You know as well as I that ain't gonna cut it. It's the blood, Green. Heaven knows if we found a relative of yours, I wouldn't put so much pressure on ya' ."

The men were silent as a baby's giggle came from across the corridor at Camille's arms, making both men look over as she fussed and cooed over her son with two female Assassins who had come to admire her child.

"If only he could..."

Axe looked back at his ex-student with a sad smile. He didn't have to ask who Green Coat was talking about.

"For once, I agree with ya, son."

~

"STOP! STOP! STOP!" Ice Cream shouted as he climbed onto the driver's seat and pulled back on the reigns as the three screaming and terrified horses shrieked, their hooves flying in the air as the flames from their carriage continued to consume it, slowly creeping up behind the Assassins. Arno looked behind him and saw, not only most of their luggage and possessions were going up in flames but a barrel with a word caught his eye that made his blood run cold.

"THERE'S GUN POWER ON THIS COACH!"

But Ice Cream wasn't listening as the carriage thundered down the path.

"WHY IS THERE GUN POWDER ON THIS COA..."

Arno broke off as he saw what Ice Cream was steering them towards.

"No," Arno breathed seeing blue sky up ahead where there should be path.

The carriage zoomed off the main track and down a small embankment, flames roaring out of the back of the vehicle.

"No!" Arno cried as the edge of the cliff came closer, the large wooden wheels rattling and fire crackling.

"NO!"

"YES!" Ice Cream shouted and slashed the reigns.

The horses turned violently, shaking off the carriage leather straps as they went one way into the forest and the Assassins on the flaming vehicle went over the edge.

**_"ICE CREEAAAAMMM!!!"_ **

The two men and flaming carriage bomb tumbled over the edge of the cliff. Arno, for a second felt like an eagle, souring through the air, utterly weightless. But it was wrong, his arms were not extended and he was on his back rolling over awkwardly. He just about looked down in time to see the water's surface rushing up to greet his face as the carriage behind them exploded, the shock wave pushing the men faster downwards as they and it both smashed into the river.

Arno's world went mute and very, very cold. He kicked out again and again, seeing a light above him the dark and grey blue water, and gasped for air as his head broke the surface.

"Arno!" a voice shouted, making the man spin around in the torrent, the waters sucking and pulling them down the mountain side. He threw his arms out trying to keep afloat as he saw Ice Cream's copper head being sucked under the white and foaming waves.

"Ah! Arno-!"

"Ice!" the young Assassin called as he swam over, just as both men were knocked and thrown into the rocks as the younger man tried to grab the Lock Picker. "Ah!" Ice Cream suddenly cried out as the under water current grabbed him and pulled him under. Arno sucked in a breath and went after him, both men kicking and clawing at the water. Arno opened his eyes and saw a dark opening on the river bed, but it was too late. The current of the rapids sucked them both down into the tube and after a few rocks had smashed their way into his body, he once again saw a brilliant light above him. The surface! He felt an arm come out and grab him by the shoulder as both men swam for their lives towards the surface. Arno and Ice Cream broke the surface, feeling like their lungs were on fire. They panted hard, treading water.

"Over there!" Arno managed to splutter and pulled Ice Cream by the arm towards the muddy bank.

"Oh-fuck-me," Ice Cream gasped, when they had reached the edge of the large pool, as he collapsed into the mud, coughing up water.

"I, ha", Arno coughed, also falling onto his back in the mud, "I think your lover might object."

Both men looked at each other and started laughing, not only from the joke but at having survived.

"A Templar a-a-attack and be-be-ing sucked into a whirlpool," Ice Cream stammered with the after shock, "Th-that's one for the d-diary-AH!"

"What?" Arno panted looking over at the man.

"My hand..." Ice Cream winced trying to sit up. Arno stood up, shaking the water from his pony tail and squelched his way on hands and knees over to the man across the filthy looking mud. He kneeled down, reaching out to the touch the others arm, before he stopped. He didn't have to guess what was wrong. Ice Cream's hand was bent at a strange angle near the wrist. But just how badly damaged was it? Arno gently pulled at the man's gloves-

"Ah!" Ice Cream gasped and Arno stopped.

"Try moving your fingers."

The man tried. And failed.

"I think your wrist is broken..."

"Hnn," Ice Cream winced, dragging himself up to sitting. "I think the rocks are to blame...no wait, it was that Templar...and I'm afraid to say your nose doesn't look all that great, either" Ice trailed off as he looked around him as Arno touched the bridge of his nose and drew in a sharp breath. He'd have to set it. Arno coughed and looked around them also. They were in a shaded glen with large wet cavernous walls on two sides. To their back was a tall embankment of mud and forest with many insects chirping and singing in the moon light. "We'll have to camp here tonight, start again tomorrow," Ice Cream said, trying to wipe some of his mud clogged hair from off his face, "The underwater caves sucked us down the mountain so the Templars won't find us...unless they want to take the ride too."

"I'd like to see them try," Arno scoffed, shaking his head, water droplets flying everywhere, "Come we need to take stock of our equipment, dry off and fix our bones."

After a while, the two men had made a make shift lean too out of wood and moss, or rather Ice Cream had started and had been forced to stop from the pain in his hand. Arno finished the structure, while Ice started a fire. Not before long, both had hung their Assassin's uniforms up on branches, broken off of trees and stuck them into the mud to make a sort of drying rack. Both men sat semi-naked on the ground, thin undergarments covering their modesty while watching their clothes drying and lamenting at how all their other equipment and clothes, not to mention food, had gone up in smoke. At a wince from the other Assassin, Arno looked over from his position by the cracking fire in the twilight and saw Ice picking at the splint he had made for himself.

"Here, let me," Arno said, tearing some length of material from one of their shirts, more than pleased that he saw his black diary sticking out of a wet coat pocket, before he helped Ice Cream with binding his wrist more securely. He was wrapping the off white material around Ice Cream's wrist when his eyes unfocused and Arno stared. The man's hips were very curved-

"Arno?"

"Hmm?"

"You're staring at my waist."

"Oh," Arno said with a start, looking up into the face of a highly confused Ice Cream. He tried to find something to cover up the fact he had been staring but then thought, why not ask? He had noticed the man had curved hips before back at their old apartment so, why not solve yet another mystery?

"This is going to sound very strange, and please know that I am not making advances upon you-"

Ice Cream's copper eyebrows raised dramatically up into his hair.

"But...you have the most curved hips I have ever seen on a man."

Arno watched as the man barked out a laugh, shaking his head.

"What can I say? I am uniquely myself."

"Good enough," smiled before nodding to the man's wrist. "How is it?"

"Better, thank you," the man said, twitching his fingers slightly. "It's only painful when I move it, so hopefully sleep will not be a problem."

"Famous last words?" Arno joked, pulling a face making Ice Cream scoff and friendly slap him on the arm with his good hand. "You sleep, I'll take the first watch," Arno offered, nodding to the lean too. Ice Cream nodded in agreement and shuffled over to the moss covered shelter, curling up in it. Arno had to congratulate himself on such a shelter. Something he begrudgingly thanked his Templar Training for. It was close enough to the fire to be warm inside and yet not so close as to pose a fire risk or trap smoke. Arno yawned, scratching his chest. He imaged what Axe would say if he was here...or Green Coat. Probably he would take offense that they were all half naked. He laughed to himself as he got up and picked his wet and soggy diary from his trousers drying. Arno tried to turn a few pages but gave up and placed it close to the fire to dry as he began his watch. He looked over at where Ice Cream was asleep and frowned. Now in the quiet of the night, he could think. The mysterious chain that had wrapped around his wrists, to the fire and what had the other man done to free him? Arno looked at his hands again, inspecting for any fire damage, but found nothing. He thought back and swore he saw a white and palm sized carving being pulled from a purple pouch in Ice Cream's grasp. Then there was the revelation that not only was Mr Blue Hat after them and not some random target Axe wanted to go after. Perhaps that was the man they were searching for in the palace when Axe and Ice Cream both lost their tempers? Then what about Green Coat being the one who supposedly burnt down the original Parisian HQ? Arno shook his head and decided he's ask in the morning as he felt his eyelids growing heavy. The search for Francois would continue. After a few hours Ice Cream relieved him and Arno got some shut eye in the lean too. Arno grimaced in his sleep as he thought he heard something similar to Ice Cream vomiting later in the early hours.

~

Alexina thundered into the hall, not dismounting from her horse taking a few Assassins, including Frederic, by astonishment.

"Blue hat...white feather...is after...lion...knows...it's here!"

"Woah, woah, calm, speak slowly," Frederic said leaning up and helping the girl off of the horse as Axe heard the commotion and came running with a Green Coat on his heels, from the mess hall.

"Where are the other two?" Axe asked, grabbing at the reigns to hold the beast, as Alexina slid off the heavily panting horse.

"I dunno," she breathed heavily, "I saw them fighting him and a bunch of bandits-"

"Shite," Axe said as he turned and saw Green Coat give him a look, but Axe caught him. "No, son-"

"I have to make sure he's alright."

"Ice" Alexina said gasping, "he, h-he told me to give you this."

Green Coat took the bag and gave her a confused look, before he quickly opened up the sack and pulled out-

"The lion statue!" Frederic cried and took it out of Green Coat's startled hands. The young Assassin looked back in the bag and saw a rolled up piece of paper. Feeling his heart in his mouth, he pulled the paper out and unfurled it seeing cursive writing on it.

_G, if you are reading this it means that the plan was abandoned. Both myself and Arno are safe and are making our way back to you with Francois by any way we can. Please stay at the HQ. I promise I shall return to you. All my love. Safety and Peace. "I"_

"How do I know this came from Ice?"

"I swear on my life and honor as an Assassin it came from his hands."

Green Coat nodded slowly and re-read the message again twice.

"Alright, go and get cleaned up, briefing in half an hour, you've done well Alexina," Axe said nodding and patting her on the back as he turned and saw Frederic looking at him and Green Coat highly confused while holding the lion statue.

"You have the diamond?" Axe asked.

"Yes," Frederic replied, "But...why the hell would Ice Cream take this with him?"

~

After packing up their limited things, now wearing crisp dry clothes, and Ice Cream throwing up twice more before the sun rose, the men moved on. The day wore on, as the Assassins searched for food and found some wild blackberries to eat. Village upon village they met had been either burnt to the ground, or no one was around. It was as if the two men were the only one's in the entire French Countryside. A couple of villages they reached, the locals were extreme hostile. Soon though, both men finally arrived at the outskirts to Lyon as the sky was turning to night. They went from tavern to tavern, determined not to give up, but Francois couldn't be found until Ice Cream fell sideways, catching himself on Arno, before leaning over to the side of the bustling bridge they were crossing and being sick over the side.

"Do you have Typhoid?" Arno asked as he saw his friend groan and rub his eyes with a gloved hand.

"No," came the mumbled response, before the elder Assassin looked up with a worried expression, "I'm probably over tired, doesn't help I have this thing being of no use to me," he continued nodding to his bandaged hand.

"Could you have Consumption?" Arno seriously asked him, as he saw the man cough deeply. He had heard a few streets back than an outbreak had occurred in one part of Lyon and wasn't keen on searching for Francois there.

"I hope not," Ice Cream said, wiping his mouth, "Apart from the retching, I've not been coughing up blood. My chest is a bit sensitive though-"

"Your chest?" Arno asked as they began walking again.

"My nipples, not to put too finer point on it," the copper haired man smirked, "It's probably the sweat and all that rubbing against my skin..."

"Oui, I don't remember the last time we had a shower," Arno said scratching at a rugged dark scruff that now adorned his face, as they spotted a new tavern and made for it, "aside from that dip in the torrents."

Ice Cream laughed, "Yes, I doubt either of us wish to repeat that experience."

The two tired men entered the noisy and tobacco smelling coach house, and repeated their question. Was there a boy of Francois's description here? But about half way through their inquiry, Arno noticed a familiar looking figure standing off to their right on the stairs. He pulled the Lock Picker's arm and the man turned around.

"Francois?"

The tall boy walked forwards cautiously before he dropped his broom, jumped the last two steps and ran at full pelt throwing his arms around Ice Cream.

"Ice Cream!"

"Ahh! Finally! Finally! Finally!" Ice Cream cried out, hugging he teen close.

Arno smiled with utter relief. They could now go back to the HQ. Francois let go of the older man and Arno embraced the object of their search warmly. When they parted Ice Cream and Francois hugged again. Arno smiled with a frown. Francois wasn't a relation so why was Ice reacting so strongly? Obviously they were glad to see him, but Ice Cream looked like he had just been reunited with a long lost son. One who more certainly looked older than the last time they met. Arno smirked, the teen was taller than he last remembered him and he was still wearing that blue arm band round his upper arm, although it was a bit dirty looking.

"Come, there is a room upstairs free and I'll make some food," Francois said looking between the Assassins with joy.

"Your boss won't mind?" Arno asked and the boy grinned, looking more than ever like a younger version of Ice Cream.

"I am the boss."

Arno nodded, noticing that the boy was looking more like a man these days. He had a faint scruff and his voice was much deeper than last time he had heard it when the scared and bereaved boy was sitting at the tavern's table, sadly picking at his food after having lost his father.

A three days later the band of two men and an older looking teen had recuperated and were now making their way back to the Assassin HQ on horse back. Francois had left the tavern in the hands of a local friend who would send the establishment's profits to the lad every month. Ice Cream's broken wrist had been set by a local doctor and was now in a plaster of Paris cast and thus Francois acted as his helper with Arno being the lead Assassin. But it wasn't just Ice Cream's hand that had been mended. Ice Cream seemed like he was up on cloud nine and so did Francois. Arno had sent a message the next day via carrier pigeon confirming that both of them were safe and had found Francois. They kept to the forests, making a direct line for the Royal Palace Guest House at Versailles; their new HQ. They camped when ever they could, cautious that the Templar bandits, not to mention Mr Blue Hat if he was in a state to track them after having half his face blown off, could trace a carriage much easier than three men in a forest. Arno had tried to bring up the subject of Mr Blue Hat, the gun powder on the carriage and what had Ice actually done to free him from the hand cuffs, but the man shook his head saying all will be made clear when they spoke to Axe. Again Arno felt like he was being left out and frustration began to take root in his mind. He noticed too that Francois and Ice Cream would talk for hours between themselves, which suited him. Too many thoughts were going around in his head that he needed privacy to do so. Plus, it was a nice change to not be the one holding Ice's hair back when he vomited, which he continued to do so daily.

"You really should see a doctor when we return," Arno said, but Ice cream shrugged, inspecting his cast.

"I think the doctor did a good job with it."

"No," Arno said, chewing his meal of oats from a bowl, sitting by the camp fire, "I mean about the vomiting. You've been doing it none stop since we left the HQ."

Ice Cream scoffed and waved his good hand, "I've had this before so I know how to deal with it."

"Alright..." Arno said but he wasn't convinced.

It wasn't long that the path they were on extended upwards and after what seemed an age of horse riding and now walking, the Royal Guest House of the Assassins appeared on the horizon.

~

Green Coat unfurled the worn out letter in his pocket and read it again. Before putting it back and taking out the newest message they received a few days ago via pigeon. They were safe and on their way back. Green Coat noticed it wasn't Ice Cream's hand writing on the note, so assumed it was either Francois or Arno. This caused a prick of worry to tug at his mind. Normally his partner would write correspondence so why hadn't he this time? Green Coat coughed and forced his concentration on the lock in front of him. As the days had worn on, he had done what Ice had asked and waited for him. To busy himself he worked on his locks. He ignored how his talk with Henri had maybe fired off his passion for making locks again.

_"I'm his husband."_

No. The man was lying, Green Coat had convinced himself. Henri De la Vert was a nasty liar and that was why he had to keep away from him. Why Axe and Frederic had warned him off going to the top floor. Sure, the copper haired man could have known Henri, it wasn't impossible. But to be his husband? He didn't think same sex marriage was even legal, even though he dearly wished it was. Green Coat shuddered at the thought that if it was true and Henri was Ice Cream's partner, then that would mean his adoptive father's brother, was his lover. Green Coat smashed his hammer down on the flat metal. No, Ice Cream was his partner. He was Ice Cream's partner. Anyone else who claimed otherwise was a nasty piece of work. But try as he might the words that floated around in his head from Frederic took his breath away.

_"Iris has moved on, he is not the person you remember."_

Green Coat hit his hammer down again upon the sheet metal.

_"...because he's got a new life now. A new partner now. One that doesn't cause him pain, or take advantage, unlike you did."_

Green Coat smashed the hammer down and it went right through the thin copper metal with a crunch. "Merde," he mumbled and threw his hammer off to the side, sighing. He calmed himself. Just because Henri said he was Ice Cream's husband doesn't mean he was actually telling the truth. Frederic didn't say the word "husband" only "partner". So was Henri Ice Cream's partner in the past? Yes, that he could accept. Just as Axe and Arno were his partners in the Assassin Brotherhood. Did teenagers join the Assassins? All the time, he mentally said to himself. Henri could have given that lion statue to Ice as a present, but it didn't mean anything, did it? But then Ice Cream literally running away from him when he had brought the subject up before the out pouring in the gardens made his stomach churn. Other words and meanings swam around and around also inside his gut and he decided that he would ask Ice Cream out right when he got back. It was the only thing he could do. The other options were to ask Frederic, which was out of the question for it would give evidence that he was privy to private conversations between the two brothers in Henri's room, or to ask Henri directly. Green Coat yanked off his gloves. He'd rather rub raw bacon into his eyes then talk to that man ever again.

Green Coat coughed, squinting out into the day light and decided he needed a walk to cool his mind. He put his things down, made sure the fire was low enough to be left unattended, shut the open furnace, and stepped out into the morning light as his thoughts continued.

The Lion Statue was back in his, or rather Frederic's, possession and he hated the thing even more, if that was possible. Green Coat chewed his lip. Why Ice Cream had taken it without telling anyone worried him, and the fact that Arno knew of his relationship with Ice Cream joined in on the things that were weighing him down mentally. But he had other more immediate issues to deal with. Axe wasn't talking to him for one thing. Since the blonde haired woman had stopped menstruating, Axe had been pushing Green to perform his duty. But Green's gut told him not to. He had approached the young woman and explained that he didn't want to put her through the dangers of child birth. To which she surprisingly told him that she had reservations about the entire thing after talking to Camille. Both Assassins shook hands and agreed that the time wasn't right. Perhaps in a year, they would discuss the matter again. When Axe found out about the delay...Green Coat had kept a safe distance as one yelling about First Civilization Blood and Eagle Pulse Vision had given him a headache. Besides, there was no reason for him to try and sire an heir now-

"Holy shit, ICE CREAM!"

Green Coat dashed down the gravel driveway, still in his workshop apron, to see the love of his life walking up the pathway.

"Woah, hold up," Arno said tactfully as he and Francois were about to turn into the drive way, putting a hand in front of Francois, halting him, seeing Green Coat running to the gates.

"Why?" Francois asked as he and Arno watched Ice Cream walk on ahead, not realizing the other two men behind him had stopped just before the turning. Arno watched in between the vines in the iron gates and saw Green Coat running up to Ice Cream. He smiled. Seemed his ploy had worked.

Ice Cream looked up and, with a happy shout, ran to Green Coat. The lovers embraced with Green Coat wrapping the Lock Picker in a tight hug before he saw his lover's injury.

"Wh-what, how did this happen?"

"I'm fine," Ice Cream said to the look of utter horror on Green Coat's face, "I broke my wrist, it was a stupid mistake but it'll heal."

Green Coat looked up and hugged the man tightly to him, Ice Cream responding by wrapping his good arm around his lover. The younger Assassin breathed deeply and felt his soul singing at the scent of Vanilla. Green Coat pressed his lips to Ice's ear, the want to kiss the man instinctive but suddenly noticed Arno appear round the corner with a shockingly older Francois. He desperately wanted to kiss his lover but decided against it seeing they were in public. Besides, they would have time later on to properly unite and Christ, he forgot how much Francios looked so much like Ice Cream-

"Iris?"

Green Coat turned to look over his shoulder, still with Ice Cream in his arms and felt time stop for standing behind him on the gravel pathway was none other than an old lock smith named Henri De la Vert.

Ice Cream's husband.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slang Note:  
> "Navigating the Windward Passage" was a term used in the 1700 - 1800s to mean anal sex.
> 
> Author's Note:  
> As with The Secret of Nothing, the chapter "Stand and Deliver" got a bit lengthy and thus was made into three parts. Back to normal numbering with the next chapters.


	24. A Temporary Note from The Author

 

EDIT: Chapter Twenty Five is finally up :)

~

To those who bookmarked this story, please read if you got an email saying I had updated and are wondering where the hell the new chapter is:

That was because I accidentally posted a scrapped future chapter in my Hay Fever induced state (I was about to delete it, as that chapter was an old crappy version, but I literally sneezed at the wrong moment and, to my utter horror, the force made my fingers click both mouse buttons, right onto the post button D: )

So if you got an email saying that a new chapter was published, sorry to get your hopes up, that was my Hay Fever's fault.

Bad Hay Fever!

If you were lucky/unlucky enough to read that pile of twaddle for all three seconds it was live, then please ignore it, as that entire chapter arc was thrown lovingly into the wind a long ago.

Also, if you're wondering, all 31 chapters are currently drafts but some were written last year and thus have changed drastically. I'm in the process of trimming down and making sure Act 3 of this saga actually makes sense with a payoff for all characters. (Trust me, the original ending was dire.)

Normal updating shall commence soon :)

Thank you for your patience!

~Wings x

 


	25. Rumours Between the Rain Drops

~

"Iris?"

Green Coat turned to look over his shoulder, still with Ice Cream wrapped up in his arms and felt time literally stop. For standing behind him on the grey gravel pathway, leaning on a wooden walking stick, was none other than an old lock smith named Henri De la Vert. Ice Cream's husband. The young Assassin couldn't move. Not only due to the fact that Ice Cream was in his arms, but also due to his brain working at a reduced speed, trying to process the fact the dark cloaked Henri was out of his room and walking _towards_ them. Green Coat didn't know what made him look back at Ice Cream. Was it for confirmation? For his reaction? Was he hoping that the copper-haired man would suddenly laugh and say who is this man, or draw his pistol?

"No, Monsieur, I'm afraid you have me mistaken for another," Ice Cream smiled, as he felt Green Coat's arms loosen and he turned, beginning to walk away with his young lover-

"It _is_ , ah, you Iris!" Henri said with an extraordinarily kind smile on his face, as he began to hobble up closer to them, huffing on his walking stick.

"I'm sorry," Ice Cream said, stopping from where Green Coat was trying to usher him away too and looked around again with an annoyed and raised eyebrow. He ignored the twenty-two year old pulling at his arm, "Why do you insist on call me that?"

"It's me-"

"Come on," Green Coat interrupted, quickly flicking his dark eyes between the men. He had to get his lover away _now_ before Henri got to them. All of Frederic's and Axe's warnings from the library slammed into his thought process. Green Coat pulled again but the man was like a statue. He paused licking his lips as his mouth dried up. He had two choices: either he could leave Ice and physically try to remove Henri from the pathway instead or stick to Ice's side like glue and act as a barrier. He looked again at Henri and admitted to himself that something about the old man frightened him. He tried to ignore the suggestion that his gut was telling him; that the man was indeed as dangerous as Axe and Frederic had said he was. That he was a threat, a legitimate one, even if he did seem like a nice fellow during their earlier talk. Yes, even if he did secretly admit that he admired the man's talents. But that was just after one meeting. Didn't the man give him a death stare the moment he found out Green Coat was the young Lock Smith whom now had Iris's affections? He was a rival. Plain and simple. And Green Coat shuddered at that knowledge that he knew exactly how Assassin's dealt with rivals. Green Coat felt himself beginning to tremble more with every step the old Assassin took towards them. Henri not only had a connection to Ice Cream but he was a better skilled lock smith. A better Assassin, even. _Everything_ was better than a scowling twenty-two year old with a bad attitude. A feeling of utter inferiority cascaded over Green Coat, making his breath escape him, before he quickly spotted Arno and Francois walking up the path way. He tried to pull his lover away more harshly now from the old man who was gaining.

"Green, what are you doing-?"

"Please move," Green Coat said, but it came out a pathetic whisper.

"It's me, _Henri_."

Green Coat jerked forwards, his hands still around Ice Cream's upper arm, as he felt Ice Cream stop suddenly on the path as they tried to make their escape. He cast his eyes over and Ice Cream was sporting an expression like the old man had given him irrefutable proof that the moon was made out of cheese. Sensing an opportunity, and feeling panic rising in his throat as Henri came into striking distance, Green Coat let his well of anger surge over the barriers and nervousness in his chest and stepped in front of his lover to face the beaming old man, seeing the other two look up as they walked over.

"You are mistaken, old man," Green Coat said forcefully, putting himself in front of Ice Cream, wishing that Arno or Francois would fucking hurry up and cause some distraction. Why were they so far away down the path?! He felt himself beginning to shake again as the man neared him, "Now leave us, my friend is very tired and-"

 **"Come on, Ice, let's be havin' ya!"** Axe's voice suddenly boomed and the bear like man appeared out of now where, barreling into Green Coat and pulling Ice Cream from the young man's grasp, while secretly shoving something into the young Assassin's chest, "Let's have the doctor take a gander at that hand, hmm?"

"W-what, Axe? I'm sorry, but who _is_ this man?" Ice Cream smiled with a confused expression, as he tried to remain on the spot, but with Axe's bulk pushing him backwards, it wasn't really an option.

"Come on, in you go."

"Axe what-"

"No ifs or buts about ya, come on, shift ya ass!"

Arno watched the exchange as Axe walked briskly with a slightly protesting Ice Cream up to the main doors of the Royal Guest House and was gone. The Ex-Templar looked back at his comrades with a concerned face as a highly nervous looking Francois hung back, standing next to a couple of Assassins who had come out to see what all the loud fuss was about. Arno came to a stop, immediately knowing what was going on. His blood ran cold as he saw the look in Green Coat's eyes. The two young Assassin's caught each others eye and Arno knew what to do.

"Please Monsieur," Arno said, leaving Francois side and jogging up to the old man, "Go back to your room, I'll take you there."

The heavily cloaked Assassin was like a statue, staring off into the distance where Ice Cream and Axe had entered the building.

"Monsieur?"

"He didn't recognize me...," The old man said to himself in a trance, ignoring Arno's presence, and looking like his world had just been destroyed, "...he didn't recognize me..."

Arno moved over to him upon hearing a distant rumble of thunder off in the distance. He took a frail arm gently, "Please Monsieur, let's get you back inside."

Henri flinched, confused as to who this blue coated Assassin was, before looking up and nodding, not all there. Henri let Arno guide him back inside. As they did, heading inside into the building via a side route, Arno caught Green Coat's terrified eyes.

"I'll make sure he is secured in his room again."

Green Coat nodded with a blink, still feeling his shoulder smarting from when Axe had shoved into him to get at Ice Cream. He could feel himself breathing heavily, trying to replay the scene again in his head, brutally scrutinizing every word, every action, searching for anything that he needed to act upon. He tried to mentally calm himself, knowing that Axe was looking after Ice now. His mind began to play out scenarios, checking Ice would be alright with Axe. If it came to a fight, his over-imagination said, then Axe's body would prove a winning force against an old Assassin suffering from arthritis. No, it was alright. It was a close shave, but Ice Cream didn't recognize the man. Yes, Henri de la Vert was a liar. He wasn't Ice's husband. A feeling of hope began to bloom in his chest, among the anger and terror, that perhaps Henri was indeed a filthy liar after all. He heard a rumble of thunder in the distance and looked over into the horizon. Dark storm clouds were cresting over the tree tops and Green watched them. He focused his eyes on the clouds above him, trying to tell where they were heading. He swallowed. They were heading towards them. Green Coat turned and-

"Monsieur Green Coat?"

Green Coat nearly jumped at the voice and soft touch on his shoulder, looking round to see a very concerned looking and curly haired Francois. The older man offered a small and very tight smile, nodding to the teenager's presence. Green Coat was about to look away when he blinked and looked again at the boy. He shook his head, wishing Francois wouldn't look so worried-

"Monsieur Green Coat, are you alright?"

"It's nothing," Green said, glad that he was being distracted from his thoughts and from what had just transpired. He looked again at the slightly taller teen, wishing the boy would stop looking at him, "it's...it's just..." and Green Coat said the next thing that came to mind, "It's just I forgot how much you look like Ice Cream."

Francois chuckled, "So people tell me. _Constantly_."

Green Coat smiled, despite the tremors still coursing through his body, the panic from seeing Henri.

The two both heard another crack of thunder and made towards a covered pathway into the building.

"Who was that old man?" Francois asked as they walked, indicating to where Arno and Henri had been standing.

"He's...," the lock smith started, putting his hands in his deep coat pockets, feeling a pencil and a couple of broken lock picks. He shook his head, "He's a very confused and old Assassin. Probably missed one too many hay carts while taking a Leap of Faith."

"I would ask what that is, but Monsieur Ice has been teaching me about the Assassins and your terminology," Francois said proudly as they walked under the covered section and stopped, looking back at the pitter-patter of rain drops beginning to fall.

"Really?" Green Coat asked, eyebrow raised. He felt a chill from the approaching storm down his neck and shuddered.

"Oui, I want to become an Assassin like him...but..."

"But?"

Francois shifted on the spot, scratching at his dark curly hair.

"No, it's nothing-"

"Speak."

"Can I..." Francois began, looking like he was about to tell a very bad pun, "May I confide in you?"

"Of course," Green Coat said with blink, very glad now that the boy was definitely proving a much welcomed distraction. Green Coat lent his back against one of the wooden posts supporting the pathway covering.

"I feel..." Francois started, wringing his hands and looking up at the elder Assassin, "I feel that Monsieur Ice Cream is familiar to me."

Green Coat frowned and crossed his arms, the feeling of meeting Henri a few minutes ago slowly abating and leaving his system.

"Aside from some resemblance, how else?"

"It's as if he is..." Francois looked to the side, trying to find the right words, "This may sound rather absurd but, I feel like he is a brother to me."

"That's not absurd in the slightest," Green Coat said, motioning to the tall building, "We are all brothers here-"

"No, that's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean?" Green Coat said, looking out of the tunnel entrance at the looming thunder clouds.

"My mother..." Francois said starting to pace in the limited space, squinting in the restricted sunlight as rain fell gently outside their shelter, "she told me, when I was younger, that I was adopted."

Green Coat snapped his head back to the teen.

"What?"

"It never caused an argument to begin in our house hold and I don't hold any resentment towards the fact," Francois said honestly, stopping his pacing to stand in front of Green Coat, "My mother and father couldn't have children. So when I came along they both jumped at the chance to include me in their family. I'm grateful to them."

Green Coat made a face of understanding.

"My mother said that my birth mother was an unmarried and desolate teenager when I was born," Francois said," similar in age to myself, in fact, when she bore me."

"How old are you?"

"Nineteen, sir."

"I didn't realize you were that old," Green Coat snorted.

"I look young for my age," Francois smiled and Green Coat groaned internally that he had seen that smile before.

"What of your birth father?"

"She said that my birth mother never spoke of him. She didn't tell my mother much when they met...when I was handed over, apart from her own name and dropped hints that my birth father was a tradesman, of a sort, from the countryside. She didn't speak fondly of him, apparently."

"And the name Francois?" Green Coat asked knowing the likely answer.

"I was named after my adoptive father..." Francois smiled before he paused, sadness flickering behind his eyes.

"I'm sorry for what happened to your father," Green Coat said, remembering the man they had found strung up from the lamp post by a hunger crazed mob, "It was unjust and cruel beyond measure."

"...I do miss him..." Francois said, "But if I remember him, he will never die. He will always be with me."

Green Coat smiled and nodded. He liked this young man's maturity.

"Perhaps that is why you feel so strongly towards Ice Cream? He reminds you of your father?"

Francois nodded with a shrug, "Maybe."

Having his curiosity well and truly engaged, Green Coat continued.

"Do you know what name, the woman who gave you life, called you?"

"I had no name," Francois said, scratching at a soft down of stubble on his chin with a snort, "apart from the fact I was a "miracle". My mother thought it was odd that my birth mother never gave me one, but I was a newborn. Mother thinks I must not have been more than a few weeks old when I came to them."

"Perhaps you were to young too know, but do you remember anything of her?"

"Sadly no. Just that the older I got the more my mother would say I resembled her. Well, of what she could remember from the meeting years ago."

"Perhaps Ice Cream is your mother," Green Coat jested.

"And perhaps pigs might fly," Francois laughed back as they both chuckled.

"How is your mother?" Green Coat asked.

"She's well...living with her sister. I miss her and she misses me I know, but she will be here soon," Francois said with a smile, "She's going to work in the kitchens with Mrs Breton. She's an incredible cook, Mrs Breton might have a rival."

"That I don't doubt," Green Coat said with a smile, "But, you know Mrs Breton?" the lock smith asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Only from what Ice Cream has told me-ah! I mean _Monsieur_ Ice Cream."

Green Coat laughed and nodded, "It's alright, I don't think he'd mind if you spoke to him with out the formal titles," Green Coat said before he jerked his head sideways towards the HQ building.

"So how do you think all this connects to Ice Cream?"

"Do you..." Francois said, looking hopeful, "Do you think, because we look alike, that Monsieur Ice Cream could be a relation of mine? All jokes aside."

Green Coat made a face of agreement, "It's not impossible. I must admit myself that the physical similarities are uncanny. Perhaps he is related to your birth mother or father somehow-"

"Do you know or has he spoken about any of his family? Did or does he have any children?"

Green Coat paused, looking away, as Francois's eager eyes widened with anticipation. No, he didn't know. Aside from the man's real name and that he'd once lived with Axe and his wife on a farm... Suddenly a very unwelcome image of Henri joined in the collection of memories floating around his head and the young Assassin coughed, forcing it away. That man was a liar and nothing more.

"I must admit, I do not know. As for children I am certain that he does not. I've heard no evidence from him or any other Assassin to suggest otherwise. Why don't you ask him yourself?"

"I asked him, when he and Monsieur Arno came to collect me," Francois continued, "He said that he may have siblings but..."

"Oh?" Green Coat blinked. Siblings? That was news to him.

"...to be honest, I got the impression the entire conversation made him uncomfortable."

"Why do you say that?" Green Coat said with a frown as he looked over at an embarrassed teen.

"I may have been _too_ excited in asking him."

Green Coat scoffed a laughed, imagining Francois badgering Ice Cream for information. If he couldn't get anywhere himself, or when he did his lover would nearly break down, then there was little hope for a kitchen boy.

"I heard a rumor," Green Coat said looking up at the entrance doorway at the other end of the covered path, a flash of lightning striking in the far off distance.

"Oh?"

"That you have a business in Lyon?"

"Oh! A tavern, yes," Francois said smiling broadly, "I bought it with the money my late father left the family. Mother approved. I like it, it's my own little security in this world. You should come for a drink there!"

"I'd like that," Green Coat said, genuinely shocked he wanted too. He really wasn't one for socializing but hmm, perhaps he was beginning to see a potential friendship with this whipper-snapper. He indicated for them to continue walking and Francois followed by his side as they walked up a small set of stone steps, the thunder cracking louder now. Both young Assassins entered the warm and inviting looking building and walked along the deserted corridor until the younger spoke up.

"So..."

"Hmm?"

"Can you ask him for me?"

Green Coat blinked with a cock of his head.

"What?"

"If Ice Cream has a sister or a female relative that had a baby when they were nineteen?"

"Persistent, aren't you? Why do you think he'll listen to me?"

Francois snorted.

"Because you two are best friends, are you not?"

Green Coat stopped on the carpet looking back at the boy with a shrug. Why not? Not only was he himself curious to the answer, but it provided an amble gateway into perhaps Ice Cream talking about himself more. As much as he had refrained from asking his lover about his past he couldn't squash that relentless seed of curiosity- wait, _best friend?_ Green Coat smiled to himself. Seemed Francois was unawares of the true nature of his and Ice Cream's relationship. As it should be.

"Fine, I shall try, but no promises. Even though we are...best friends, he tends to be quite stubborn with personal information, as I'm sure you're aware."

Francois smiled with many words of gratitude as Green Coat took out a small notebook and pencil from a deep outer pocket, flicking to a blank page that wasn't covered in half scribbled lock designs.

"Do you know the name of your birth mother?"

"Oui" Francois nodded.

Green Coat found a suitable blank page and pressed the pencil to the paper.

"What was her name?"

"Iris."

~

Arno looked up and saw the sky was becoming dark grey through the tall windows and steered the old man into the kitchens. "Looks like rain," he offered as a means to distract the Assassin from his depression, but it fell on deaf ears. After carefully guiding Henri up the three flights of stairs, wondering how the hell the old man had gotten down them in the first place without suffering a heart attack, they were soon at the white and large door to Henri's prison. Arno avoided looking at the man's face just as he had tried to ignore that the man was crying quietly to himself.

"Thank you, my son," the old man softly said, slowly turning to Arno, when they reached their destination, "...and...may I ask...if you see Ice Cream...please give him these..."

Arno looked down and saw the man pull out a bundle of letters from a deep coat pocket with a shaking hand, holding them out to him.

"I do not think that is wise, Monsieur," Arno said with an apologetic smile. As much as he felt a twinge of empathy for the Assassin, he's loyalties fell against the man standing before him. Accepting anything from him would be unwise.

The old man looked up at him, tears running silently down his cheeks but yet his weathered face held an untold amount of stoicism. A clap of thunder roared in the distance.

"... _please_..."

Arno looked at the man, feeling something in his chest give at how pathetic an old Assassin's plea was. He was about to let logic reign and refuse him again until Arno paused. He saw something in the man's dark eyes. Something that only someone with genuine pain let show in their eyes. Longing. Arno knew that look. It was the look he had seen on, not just his own face when _she_ left, but on many a Templar's face, when a loved one had been struck down or kidnapped by the other side. Against his better judgement, Arno nodded and gently took the letters from the man's wrinkled hands.

"Merci, my son....merci..."

Arno leaned forwards and opened up the door and let the man walk back into his room. The Ex-Templar reached out, seeing the key still in the door and locked it. Arno didn't stay to hear anymore anguish from behind the door. He made his way downstairs, looking at the tanned letters in his hands. There were over a dozen, perhaps even more, all neatly titled, tied together in a palm sized package and each sealed with red wax stamps. Some looked new and crisp, but others looked like they had been written years ago from the bleaching of the paper. None of them were open. He stopped on a lower floor and curiously flicked through them, mindful of the brown string around the pile's middle. All of the envelopes said the exact same thing in a blue cursive fountain pen font; _"Iris."_ One though said, _"To my love, my world, now and forever."_ So it was true, Ice Cream had a previous lover. Arno tapped them against his fingers as a voice in his head chided him for taking the letters. Now he was saddled with them. So what to do? He could give them to Axe, he mused, as a soft patter of rain began hitting the tall windows, a streak of lightning shooting across the sky. Or, he could give them to Ice Cream, but he might as well give them to Green Coat for all the good it would do. But again, was this man his _husband?_ A partner and lover, certainly...or, actually, was he deluded and just some old and very confused man? Arno sat down on the stairs at the junction where two met. He looked at the wax seals on the back. All of them had the classical red wax mark "A" of the Assassins. Arno turned them over and saw small marks that indicated dates on the bottom right hand corners. Some of these were from over ten years ago and the latest was from two days ago. With curiosity peeking over his shoulder, he began to search for the oldest date. He found it and held the worn out envelope up to his face.

"1770?"

"Rob a postman, did ya?"

Arno looked up and saw Axe climbing the stairs. He did _not_ look happy.

"I thought I bloody well told you to not let 'im come into contact with those two?"

"Hey, I'm not his carer," Arno said angrily with a scowl, putting the letter he was holding down onto the carpet with the others, next to his thigh, "How was I to know he had escaped from his room? Ice and myself have only just arrived back from Lyon. Why weren't you or another Assassin guarding his door?"

"Well, sods lot of good it is now..." Axe breathed putting his hands on his hips, coming to a stop in front of Arno, "Thank the Gods Ice didn't recognize him."

Arno was silent. He wondered if Axe knew who Henri claimed to be.

"Did he say anything to ya?"

"He..." Arno said pursing his lips in thought, "...he gave me these," and held out the small package of tanned paper letters to the other man.

Axe took them all, yanked one out of the pile and stared at its title.

"Jesus," he sighed and then tore it open with a thick finger, making Arno wince, as the large man unfolded the square paper message. There was silence, the only thing to be heard was rain falling against the window more harshly now and the murmur of Assassins down in the lower floors. Axe's eyes scanned the page as he read the letter. Arno squinted as candle light filtered through from behind the taller Assassin, illuminated the writing, now backwards to him. He tried to make out what the inked and cursive words said but the older man was too fast for him.

"...bloody hell," Axe said as his eyes quickly read what the letter contained, "The silly old sod won't give up after all these years..." he said, making a face somewhere between sadness and annoyance.

Arno cleared his throat. Time to solve another mystery.

"He says he's Ice Cream's... _husband_."

"Did he now?" Axe said as he looked up at Arno from the letter.

"Aside from the fact I didn't realize that was even legal-"

"You should read the latest newspapers, lad," Axe said, eyes going back to the letter, "All sorta things are changing 'coz of the Revolution."

Arno paused with an annoyed frown from being interrupted, "...and by deduction and from Henri's own admission," Arno said looking at Axe with a frown, "...I know who goes by the name of Iris."

Axe licked his lips, folded the letter back up and put them all in a chest pocket before he beckoned Arno to him.

"Come lad, I think it's time for us to take a walk into town. Pray the rain n' thunder will stop by the time we get there."

~

SNAP

"Oh, Monsieur Green, your pencil!"

"Huh?"

Francois pointed to the Assassin's closed hand that was grasping what was once a pencil. Now however, it looked nothing more than a mangled piece of wood, snapped in half.

"Oh...er," Green Coat said, throwing it to the side, trying to will his arms to move in order to clumsily pad his coat again for a replacement. "Sorry, w-what was that name again?" he asked with a shake of his head and a squint, still half heartily searching for a writing implement. Green began to feel stupid for mishearing Francois-

"Iris," Francois said, "Or Irene or Ibilis, I'm not sure which. My mother told me a few years ago, but she hasn't the best of memories, I'm afraid...Monsieur Green Coat, are you quite alright?"

"What?"

"You look like you're about to be sick, was it something I said?" Francois asked, looking concerned.

"What? Oh! No, no," Green Coat quickly offered with a smile he hoped the boy was convinced as genuine, "Just-erm," his mind worked furiously to come up with a viable excuse, "I forgot I left-the-furnace-on! In the workshop!"

Green Coat quickly ran, not looking back, as he made a break for it and headed straight into the pouring rain. The words Francois had said were just on the cusp of his mind, pushing against his will as he ran straight into the gardens, oblivious to the thunder roaring. When he arrived, he slowed down to a jog and then stopped. He checked no one was around or had followed him before he felt a headache beginning to throb inside his skull, his chest tightening. He sat numbly down onto a stone bench as the rain came down in sheet upon him. He stared at the wet floor, not seeing it, as water dripped down his face, his nose and through his hair, soaking his coat. The rain began to distract him and he, quite frankly, welcomed it.

_"Perhaps Ice Cream is your mother?"_

Green Coat put a hand to his temple, rubbing. No. No, no, no. Ice Cream did _no_ t have a child. That child was _not_ Francois. The boy had it wrong. He had too. Iris was a common name, it had to be. Besides, he wasn't completely sure that was his birth mother's name anyway. Was it Irene? Was it Ibilis? Francois said himself his adoptive mother couldn't remember.

_But he looks just like Ice Cream._

He scoffed, as somewhere in his mind he noticed the thunder above was moving away. Ice Cream couldn't have given birth because he could not become pregnant, never mind if his defunct birth canal actually worked. Besides, his body would have shown signs of a past pregnancy and nothing from his own intimate knowledge of Ice's body pointed to anything like. But, for argument sake, if so, then Ice would have said something- wait, did Francois here Henri calling Ice Cream Iris earlier? If so, then the boy would have said something to him while they spoke under the covered walk way...but no, Francois was with Arno, down the other end of the path, so they couldn't have heard the old man's words. Green Coat let his head hang low, resting his elbows on his knees, hunched over, as the rain poured down on his pathetic form. No. He was over-imaging things. Ice Cream was honest with him and would have mentioned anything that huge from his past. The same went for Henri. If Ice really was either Francois parent or Henri's husband then....then...

Green Coat sat back on the bench in the pouring and grey streaking rain, as a flash of lighting streaked across the sky, over the HQ. Green Coat was devoid of feeling, finding his breathing was becoming erratic as his imagination finally and ultimately ran away with him.

_What if Francois was Ice Cream's and Henri's child?_

 ~

Green Coat ran. His lungs were on fire and he couldn't feel how fast his wet boots were pounding against the marble floor of the entrance hall, as he sprinted up the main stairs, two at a time, grabbing at the wooden hand rail as he sailed upwards, slipping a couple of times.

"ICE!"

Green Coat continued to call, but heard nothing, only a few Assassin's turn their heads his way in confusion and shock. He stopped along a semi crowded corridor to the eating area, breathing hard, trying not to catch anyone's eyes. He knew he looked an utter state but he didn't care. If anyone was to ask, he would say he fell into a pond or got caught in the storm. The young Assassin looked left and right. He had to be careful. Only a few people knew that he was in a relationship with a fellow Assassin and even though he wanted to metaphorically sing from the roof tops his dedication to the elder lock picker, he had to hold his tongue-

"Oh my God, Green, did you go for a kip in the rain?!"

Green Coat spun on the spot, feeling water droplets flinging off from the ends of his should length black hair, ignoring Alexina's question as he ran passed her startled form and down a corridor, cursing. Where would Axe have taken Ice Cream? Feeling his gut tell him to head to their mini-apartment in the building, he ran, feeling his wet clothes sticking to him and water running uncomfortably down his back. Francois's voice threatened to echo around in his mind, to overwhelm him but he growled it into silence. No, he had to ignore it. Ignore what the boy had said with all his might until he confronted Ice Cream. Had to forget everything until he heard it from the horse's mouth. He would ask, Ice Cream would tell him and then he could put to bed all this silliness. Yes, that is what would happen, he chanted like a mantra to himself. When he arrived, Green Coat saw the door was closed but sounds of movement were coming from the shut door. Green Coat pushed forwards with a wet hand and stopped. Suddenly he didn't want to see Ice Cream. Well, no that was a lie, he did want to see his lover but...after what happened between them in the gardens, he was very reluctant to press the man about his past again. He breathed in, exhaled and swallowed, before shoving some of his matted hair behind his ears as he moved forwards and opened up the door. He entered and blinked as he saw Ice Cream with his tanned travel bag open and half a dozen things sprawled out on the floor and over the bed.

"Oh! There you are, Green! I'm sorry you had to see that," the older man said while opening his second traveling case with one hand and chuckling, "Did you see that crazy old fool? Hmpf, doesn't know what he's on about."

"Yeah..."

Green Coat slowly entered and shut the door, watching the man and looking at the items on the floor. His weapons had all been taken apart and were currently very neatly laid out side by side. He stepped over the sprawl and stood back as his lover began to unpack his things on the bed.

Green Coat opened his mouth. He didn't like the hurried manner of the other man. Perhaps if he helped...

"Here, let me help you-"

"No, no," the copper haired man said, pulling away from his green coated lover's out stretched hand, putting his equipment down at lightning speed, "I can do it, I just need to unpack."

Ice Cream jerked back, paused and looked at him.

"Did you go for a swim in the lake?"

"More or less, wait, Ice let me help you with that, you'll hurt your wrist-woah!"

The young Assassin jerked back as Ice Cream whistled past him, picking up something from the side cabinet with his good hand and moving it too another table.

Three times.

"Hey..." Green Coat said gently as he watched his partner continuing to dash around the room erratically, now gathering up clothes, trying to fold them with one hand. "Hey," Green Coat said again, hesitantly reaching out a hand and touched the man's upper arm-

Suddenly Ice Cream turned and smashed his lips to the other Assassin's.

"Hmpf! Ice-"

"Take me," Ice Cream growled and pushed the soggy Assassin over to the bed.

"What?-"

"Shut up and do as I tell you."

"Wait-"

"That's an order!"

Green Coat fell back and was barely aware of the small items bounce on top of the bed as he fell with Ice on top of him. He was suddenly reminded of the love making they made after the storming of the Bastille. How his own lust had consumed his brain and pushed Ice Cream onto the bed. But now with switched positions. Ice Cream lent down and pulled at his wet coat with one hand, trying to get at his white cotton shirt underneath. Green Coat was swept up in the tidal wave that was Ice Cream as the man yanked at his clothes, mouth plastered to his own. He felt himself harden but was shocked at the sudden lust. But Francois's voice began to break through to the surface and he mentally and physically tried to push himself away from the lock picker above him. He very rarely denied the man, but something began to shake inside himself, that feeling akin to being frightened.

"Hmf-Ice stop!"

He tried to break the kiss, turning his head sideways, but as he did the change in weight positions made Ice Cream lurch forwards and onto his broken wrist.

"ARGH!"

Green Coat watched in stunned silence as Ice rolled to the side off of him in agony and held his broken wrist to his chest like a mother would a newborn.

"Hnnnn! Bloody hell..." Ice Cream ground into the sheets, pushing his face into the fabric to muffle his cries of anguish.

Green Coat watched the man's back and sides heaving with the heavy breaths of pain. He mentally shook himself and gently moved to be on his side as his partner continued to moan. He reached out and began to rub Ice Cream's back gently in small circles with his palm, feeling those strong shoulder blades under the tanned coat. Streaks of mud and dirt adorned it, along with what looked like oil. Green Coat frowned sadly. Ice Cream hadn't even changed since coming back to collect Francois but yet he still smelt of Vanilla.

"It's alright, Ice, it's alright."

Ice Cream looked up, a blue and red tinged eye peeking out from between long locks of richly colored hair.

"...stop, it's alright..."

Green Coat gazed at his lover as the lock picker's cheeks became tinged with pink.

"...I'm so sorry..." Ice Cream quietly said.

"Don't be," Green Coat said with a scoff, "If your hand wasn't broken, I'd have no qualms about us having a repeat performance of our love making after the Bastille."

Ice Cream smiled, but it was brief. He blinked sadly.

"...and I don't think making love where one of us is highly stressed is wise...," He continued to rub the man's back, "...and I don't have to ask if something is wrong-"

"Nothing is wr-"

Green Coat raised his eyebrows.

Ice Cream let out a sigh and closed his eyes as the calming ministrations to his back continued.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Green Coat asked after a while.

Ice Cream nodded and rolled onto his back on the bed, looking up at his sitting and still wet partner next to him.

"I...," Ice Cream cleared his throat, "I didn't recognize him at first...but then he said my name and...I wish I could say he was lying, but I...." Ice Cream said, drawing a deep and shaking breath, "I know that man."

Green Coat began to tread incredibly lightly.

"From your former years?"

"..."

Green Coat nodded and began to rub the side of Ice Cream's thigh reassuringly.

"Have you come into contact with him before?" Ice Cream asked looking up.

Green Coat smiled and lied right through his teeth.

"No."

"Well, he's..."

Green Coat waited for Ice Cream to continue.

"Would you consider us married?"

Green Coat blinked. That wasn't what he was expecting.

"I mean, I know we don't wear golden ring bands and one of us hasn't worn a ridiculously frilly dress in front of a group of people-"

"Oh, I don't know," Green Coat said with a sly smile, trying to lighten the atmosphere, "I think you'd look fetching as my frilly dressed blushing bride."

Ice Cream didn't smile back.

"It was a joke..." Green Coat said in to the awkward silence, mentally slapping himself at his poor taste of jest.

Ice Cream saw part of the twenty-two year old's dark coat near his good hand and began to rub the now damp material between his fingers. Green Coat watched, rubbing the side of the man's thigh again, gently. There was a silence between them until Ice Cream looked at that hand rubbing up and down his outer thigh. He smiled and raised a curious eyebrow.

"I hope you're not trying to dry yourself off on me?"

"Wouldn't dream of it," Green Coat smiled, glad that the atmosphere was lightening, as Ice Cream smiled back. They stayed like that for a long time. Each seeking physical contact and reassurance from the other in the quiet space as the thunder rolled away in the distance.

"I owe you the truth," the Lock Picker said quietly after a while, "...and you're not going to like it..."

Green Coat listened, stealing himself, forcing his talk with Francois down into his gut like a wild and dangerously caged animal to be dealt with later.

"A long time ago," Ice Cream breathed, still playing with the corner of Green Coat's jacket, "...myself and that... _person_...we were once together. Like how you and I are."

Green Coat kept the friendly smile firmly on his face, ignoring that beast in his chest rattling the bars of it's cage, roaring in unbridled possessiveness.

"When I was around nineteen, I...but," he said cradling his broken wrist cast to his chest, words failing him, "I left when..."

Green Coat felt his emotions beginning to make his veins vibrate as Ice Cream drew in a ragged breath.

"...I left him when things didn't work out."

"An argument?" was all Green Coat could muster up the strength to say, willing his Assassin training into keeping his composure.

"No," Ice Cream said, something in his eyes flickering, "he abandoned me."

"Why?"

Ice Cream looked at him with a tight smile.

"It's best you don't know."

Green Coat put both his hands on Ice Cream's thighs, the exact same way the man had done to him when they were sitting on the window ledge some time ago. After he had his night terror and flash back of the white lion. He locked their eyes and gave his lover the most intense look he could produce.

"Please, Ice. You do not have to face anything on your own anymore. I can and will do anything in my power to help you crush your demons. Why did he abandon you? I can take it."

Ice Cream looked from one eye to the next.

"Are the window locked?"

"What?" Green Coat blinked.

"Because if you ask me that again, I will run away from you."

Green Coat froze and knew he had crossed the line big time. He felt a hand come down and press onto his own slowly but harshly. He looked at the man and saw that look from the Bastille- No, wait, it was something else. Ice Cream was looking at him, but his eyes were glazed over and not focusing on him. Like he was looking at something behind Green Coat's head that was filling him with pain. Green Coat felt his chest clench as he realized Ice had retreaded into the darkest parts of his mind. But not just that, he had become consumed by it. That dark side. That side of Ice Cream he would laugh the man never had. But he had squared himself right up to it, poked at it with a misplaced, yet well meaningful, stick when Ice gave him a fair warning to back off. Green Coat went to bring his hands back. But as he watched, Ice never focused his eyes on him. Wait-the harsh grip wasn't meant for him, Green Coat realized with a jolt. Was it a reaction to what he was seeing? Yes, it had to be. He was...he was seeking safety, needing to ground himself in the real world and a twenty-two year old Assassin was his only anchor. Green Coat squeezed Ice Cream's hand back as hard as he could and his lover suddenly gasped, eyes blinking furiously as he came out of his memories. Green Coat swallowed as he saw a stray tear roll down the side of the man's face. Ice Cream quickly wiped it away with his free hand, sniffing, as if embarrassed by it's appearance. Green Coat nodded, got the message and slowly removed his hand from Ice's thigh and for the first time in their relationship, Ice Cream had given him a direct warning. The most serious one yet. What ever Henri did to Ice, it was permanently out of bounds for discussion.

Green Coat swallowed and backed off.

"...and the, um, the Lion?" was all the younger Assassin could mumble, trying to distract the man, noticing how his voice had wobbled slightly. Although it seemed Ice Cream hadn't noticed.

"We were er," Ice Cream said, coughing, "...passing an antique shop in the Le Marais section of the city," Ice Cream snorted with a smile, all trace of the previous warning to his young lover and the dark memories, gone. "I nearly screamed for joy when I saw it had the word "Salmacis" on it's belly."

"I can imagine," Green Coat said, feeling his stomach clenching that he had actually over stepped his boundaries. That Ice Cream had metaphorically raised his hackles and growled at him. He only wanted to help! Was that so difficult? But wait, did Henri know about Ice's duel-nature? But would that set him back down his dark memories? Green Coat silenced himself.

"Ask," Ice Cream said, focusing his eyes on him, "I said I need to be truthful, but... let's not talk about the reason I left."

Green Coat nodded and mentally braced himself for the man to verbally bite his hand off.

"Did he know...that you're-"

"He knew," Ice Cream said quietly, "...the truth is, he saved my life, just like Axe did. I felt I owned him mine in return."

Green Coat felt his nostrils flare, that caged beat snarling and rattling the bars again.

"Do you still owe him?"

"No," Ice Cream said with a dark look, "I don't owe him anything."

For a moment the young Assassin realized he didn't know if Ice Cream was talking about Henri or Axe. "I am no fool, Ice Cream," he said, "I can see that I am walking on very thin ice here," Green Coat said before he realized the words he'd used and smiled sheepishly, "...if you'll pardon the pun."

At this Ice Cream snorted a laugh, the atmosphere lightening instantly.

"But I'm curious, as you know," Green Coat said, encouraged by this change, edging his way around the subject like Ice Cream was a bomb about to go off at any moment. He looked up and quickly noticed that none of the windows were locked, "You know my past history-"

"What history?" Ice Cream said playfully, tilting his head to the side, "You're only twenty-two. When I was your age, I was sweating my balls off in the sun, gathering hay in a dusty field with Axe and his wife..."

"How did you end up with Axe?" Green Coat said, seeing the sadness starting to collect in the man's eyes and trying to head it off.

"Well...one day," Ice Cream said, starting to play with the frayed edge of Green's jacket, "Frederic came to the apartment to check on his brother and...got a bit of a shock when he saw me instead. It was Fred who introduced me to Axe."

Suddenly a revelation exploded in Green Coat's head.

"Oh, so _that's_ how you know about lock picking!"

"Through the brothers," Ice Cream said thoughtfully, before adding with a small, "I even ended up teaching Axe's family a thing or two."

"How long were you with Frederic?" Green Coat asked, frowning, an idea coming to him.

"Why do you want to know?"

Green Coat scoffed a laugh.

"...it may seem far-fetched but perhaps our paths have crossed before..."

"What?" Ice cream said sitting up on his elbows.

"Frederic was my guardian for many years, Ice Cream," Green Coat said, scratching his head, "Him being British, I met many people in that time, here in France and in England, many Assassins-"

"You think _we've_ ," the lock picker said, unconvinced, motioning a finger between them, "...met before?"

"I don't know, you tell me. I was a small child."

"I don't think so," Ice Cream said with a shake of his head, "I was in Frederic and Camille's care for under a week, in this country, before I went to Axe. I don't remember seeing a small child with them. Perhaps you were in London at that time?"

"Hmm, maybe," Green Coat nodded. It was worth a shot in a humorous sort of way. Odd if they had brushed paths but even if they did, neither one remembered the other it seemed. "It seems we both went to Axe and Frederic at some point," Green Coat chuckled to himself.

"Even Arno," Ice Cream laughed and at this, Green Coat reached out and took the man's free hand, interlacing his fingers. A warm squeeze of his palm was given by his lover, and he mirrored the action, all warnings now behind them. Green Coat nodded again, softly playing with those slender yet strong fingers.

"Thank you, Ice Cream."

Ice Cream smiled but it was with a tinge of sadness. "If I had any other relatives I would have gone to them, but as not was the case, so Axe's family became mine. Now the Assassin's are my family. _You_ are my family."

Green Coat smiled warmly, before he suddenly heard Francois's voice in his head, pushing to be at the forefront. Did Ice Cream have siblings? Cousins? _Did he have a baby-_

"Was their something else you wanted to ask?" the Lock Picker asked kindly, seeing his partner subtlety biting his lip in deep and distracted thought.

Francois voice shouted again and again in Green Coat's mind, making him feel dizzy. Green went to open his mouth but saw how tired Ice Cream looked and something told him to hold his tongue. He needed to think, needed to plan how best to approach this information. Was he to ask if Ice had any relatives? But Ice just said he didn't have any. So why did Ice tell Francois he had siblings?

_"Can you ask him for me?"_

_Green Coat blinked with a cock of his head._

_"Excuse me?"_

_"If Ice Cream has a sister or a female cousin that had a baby when they were nineteen?"_

"-really don't understand why he's here after all this time-"

"What?" Green Coat suddenly said, realizing with a jolt he had muted the world around him, save for Francois's words.

Ice Cream looked up and saw the look in Green Coat's eyes.

"You have to understand, Vincent, I young back then. I had no idea about Assassins or Templars. I only found out Henri was one when....when..."

Green Coat watched as Ice Cream suddenly, and without warning, rolled off the bed, dashed over to the wash basin and promptly vomited. The young man ran over to him, picking up a small white face cloth on the way and began to gather the man's long copper hair into a pony tail and out of the porcelain bowl.

"Urgh...merde..."

"Are you alright?" Green asked, his voice full of worry, as he continued to collect the mixed dark and light strands, as Ice Cream finished coughing up the contents of his stomach. He rubbed the man's back as his retching subsided, handing Ice Cream the flannel.

"It's alright, I've been vomiting for a while now...I ate some bad bread near Lyon...urgh, this month can royally fuck off," the lock picker sighed, taking the offered small towel to clean his face, making Green Coat bark a laugh.

"My, _you_ saying the f-word outside of coitus?" Green Coat laughed, walked away and returning with a cup of water, "That _is_ a first."

"What can I say, I like to try new things," Ice Cream said with a smirk, taking the mug offered, rinsing his mouth out and spitting into the bowl.

The two men looked at each other with a tired smiles.

"Do you want to ask me something else?

"Not if you're going to be sick again-"

"I don't think I have anything left to throw up. Ask."

"So," Green Coat said slowly, "...do we need to worry about... _him_?"

"No," Ice Cream said staunchly, "Axe is dealing with it."

"Good, then forget about him," Green Coat said, surprised at even himself at how calm and level his voice was now at the realization his worst fear was founded, that who Henri claimed to be was indeed his lover's former partner, "He's not a part of your life anymore. I am."

Ice Cream smiled as Green Coat brushed some stray copper hair from his face.

"You're tired, stressed, injured from your last mission and now in need of a wash," he soothed pressing his lips to the man's head, "Please let me be the level headed one for a change?" _  
_

"I guess I can allow it just this once," Ice Cream nodded with a smile, throwing the flannel over the bowl and hiding it's nasty contents, before pointing to the others coat, "Although you look dried off now."

"I don't mind getting wet again if it involves a bath," Green Coat winked, "with you, of course. I think it's my turn to wash you?"

"Well, I won't say no as it does sound like a most agreeable plan to me," Ice Cream said with a smile and wink of his own, taking his lover's hand as both Assassins headed over to the spacious on-suite bathroom.

~

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> So when I said that I didn't want this turning into a soap opera...oh, dear, dear Francois, what have you unwittingly started in Green Coat's mind? On another note, I wrote most of this during my recovery from surgery. (Not from a broken wrist, I hasten to add)


	26. (E)War and Soapsuds

**WARNING: The following chapter contains explicit sexual content.**

~

Arno and Axe walked through the dirty and bustling streets of Paris. Now free from the wealth and comparable safety of Versailles and it's Royal Guest House-come-Assassin-HQ, the reminder that they were very much in the middle of a Revolution came back to the two adults in all its ugly glory. There were women screeching on one corner of the cobbled street over a basket of what looked like under weight potatoes with flies buzzing around some mush on the floor nearby. Arno gave it a wide birth. Soon Axe nodded to a quiet and small wooden drinking stand by the river's edge, where a pet dog sat at the base, panting in the heat and dying light of the day. Arno absentmindedly leaned down and scratched the dog's ear in passing, making the beast wag it's tail excitedly. The Ex-Templar took up a position just behind the drink's stall, leaning against the stone barrier to the stairs and the river bank below. He looked around and noticed he had forgotten how smokey and soot ridden the streets of Paris had become. Or rather they always were and his time at Versailles had spoilt him rotten. He looked up just as Axe purchased two open bottles of some dubious alcoholic beverage, handing him one. Arno looked down at the label with a raised eyebrow and saw it was indeed beer and a very strong one, at that, from the stench. The memory of the last time he drank alcohol where he was rendered an utter state, paralytic on his bedroom floor, made him hesitate.

"Drink, it's safer than the water around 'ere," the larger man said, hefting himself up onto the stone wall and sitting down, legs over the side facing Arno, while taking a swig from his own amber colored bottle, "Plus, ya won't get drunk on just that."

"I beg to differ," Arno said making Axe wave him off.

"Anyway, lad, that's not what I brought you out here for."

"Alright then, why are we here?"

"Tell me, what do you see?"

"What do I see?"

"Aye," Axe said, squinting in the light, looking at all the various people mingling and walking past with a vague interest, "When you look at these folk, what do you see?"

Arno turned, still leaning one elbow against the stone barrier near Axe's knee, bottle in hand and looked around him. There were indeed many people here, all up and down the street that ran parallel to the main river. He saw men and women of all social classes mixing and going about their daily lives. A couple of women with filthy aprons were chatting, each with a baby on their hips, a man was walking in the opposite direction hefting firewood on his back and four small children, led by a teenage girl were badgering people for money. There was laughter from a young couple walking hand in hand and two shabby and suspicious looking men were loitering at the entrance to a dark alleyway further down the street, who kept glancing at the teenage girl who was ordering the begging children around. Arno looked again at the men and, with a jolt, recognized them as the men who had, months ago, tried to get him to solicit their brothel. Arno felt the hidden blade against his wrists and pondered how best to neutralize such monsters and if Axe would mind if he did. He looked for any guards and saw a trio cross from the other side of the street before beginning to cross the bridge near them. Suddenly a man in expensive finery entered the street making the children all run up to him, begging for money. He tried to shoo them off but gave up and scattered some pennies off to the side, making them dash for it. It was a pathetic sight and Arno wished he could help.

"Children, I see poor children," Arno said, sadly then added, "and men and women?"

"Aye, and?"

Arno narrowed his eyes in concentration.

"I am not seeing it-"

"See any animals...horses...?"

Arno looked around and found he could not see any creature that wasn't human. Well that was a lie, there was one.

"Aside from the, now, beloved pet dog of the stall owner?" Axe added seeing Arno nod to the panting dog, "See any rats, even?"

Arno looked at the floor and apart from the odd fly making itself a nuisance, there was curiously nothing else. He looked up into the sky and couldn't even see any birds.

"No, I don't."

"Don't you think that's rather odd?"

"How so?" Arno countered, "There are many people here. Animals can be skittish. Who's to say the rats are not hiding under the bridges or down the alley ways-"

"Oui, but can you see any meat for sale on this here stretch of shops?"

Arno looked around and saw nothing, confused as to why Axe was asking him such questions. He turned and saw on another bridge up the Seine River where there looked like a man was trying to flog something akin to horse meat from the back of a cart.

"Yes, over there. That gentleman is selling horse meat."

Axe looked behind him at the bridge, scoffed and turned back, taking another deep drink.

"That ain't animal meat he's sellin'. "

"Then what meat could it possibly be?"

"...see any beggars?" Axe said taking a deep swig of his drink.

Arno looked back at Axe with a horrified and confused expression.

"You cannot be serious."

Axe sniffed, looking up from Arno, squinting in the sunlight.

"I've just had word from the Mentor, lad, that he's to be here tonight at 8pm and that the Revolution has taken the worse turn imaginable."

"I don't think it could get any worse," Arno said, throwing caution to the wind, knocking his head back and taking a long swig from the bottle. The alcohol burnt his mouth but he didn't care.

"Our Dear King is now a traitor."

"What?"

"King Louis and his wife n' kids tried to leave the country last night but they were recognized," Axe said, pulling at the loosely glued label around the bottle. "It's not in the paper's yet, but mark my words the moment this lot," he said in hushed tones, gesturing to the rest of the street, "find out, this country's gonna go to shite."

"As if it hasn't already, so in what sense?"

"Mass panic. In a few weeks time, come back down here to this very spot again and there will be riots and troops up to ya eyeballs. Oh, you think you've seen 'em already but, no...things are going to get much worse before it gets better," Axe cryptically said, drinking more beer.

"Ever the optimist," Arno said with an ironic smirk, taking another gulp of alcohol, seeing that sad group of children huddling together, counting the cash they had picked up from the dirt and hay covered cobbled street.

"Ya see lad," Axe said, ignoring Arno's quip, "Austria and Prussia are chummy with the Royals here. Hell, Marie Antoinette is an Austrian herself. Our neighbors have stated that if harm comes to the French Royals and anyone connect to 'em like Marie, then there will be an invasion. So, you can imagine how things have been on the streets here. As long as Louis and his family are alright then it staves off being at War. However-"

"Seems I have mixed loyalties."

"What?"

Arno turned his head up to a puzzled looking Axe.

"I'm both. My mother was French and my father Austrian."

"Huh, I didn't know that," Axe said, eyebrow raised, "Ya know," Axe continued, putting his second empty bottle down to the side of him, "I never asked about ya family."

"What is there to ask?" Arno said with a shrug, "My mother found out my father was an Assassin one day and left. He brought me up until his death. I was then shipped over to the Templars, for reasons I am still not clear on...and then upon the age of twenty, I end up returning to the Assassin's again," Arno continued, taking another drink from the bottle, "The universe, after all, likes its circles."

"You should let Green know that," Axe said, "that your father was an Assassin. I don't think I need to tell ya that he holds no love for anyone connected to Templars."

Arno swilled the liquid around in his bottle.

"So this "Mass Panic" you mentioned? Now that the King has tried to run?"

"Aye. Proves that his plan all along was to get out of France and then have Prussia and Austria invade anyway."

"Christ."

"Yep, but, seeing as he were caught, one of our lads imbedded in the countryside recognized 'im and raised the alarm, then it just proves that he were a traitor all along and don't give two shits about us common folk."

Arno looked up at Axe, grateful they were not on the subject of Green Coat anymore.

"So where are the Royal Family now?"

"On their way back here to Paris. Which is where you come in, my son," Axe said with a large and toothy smile, cracking open his third bottle of booze.

"Me?"

"I need you and Green, yes you heard me right, to be 'ere and see how the crowd reacts to the Royals returning. So we know what the feeling on the street is before us Assassins can work out our next step. Fill your report in 'n get back to the HQ."

"Why is Green Coat to be my partner?" Arno asked, knowing that this mission was not going be be pleasant if he had to do it alongside that sour faced man. Well, at least he could guarantee the mission would be silent.

"I thought that were obvious," Axe said, "Ice is outta action for the time being. He's gonna concentrate on getting that hand working again. Stupid bastard getting himself hurt..." Axe turned to Arno. "I just realized we didn't debrief you and him. So, out with it, what happened when you went to get Francois?"

Arno relayed all the information back from what he could remember of the five week long event. At the end his bottle was empty and had joined Axe's four other empty ones standing on the stone wall.

"So, he's been vomiting since week four of your mission?"

"Oui," Arno said, feeling a tiny bit merry as the drink sat well in his body.

"And ya say he smashed his wrist on a rock?"

"Yes, although we are both not sure if it was one of the Templars chasing us or on the rocks in the river that caused his break...I'm just glad my hands stopped being on fire-"

"What?"

Arno looked up while putting a curled up hand to his mouth, unsuccessfully trying to cover up an alcoholic burp. "When Mr Blue Hat went for us, me and Ice were on the coach's roof, but through some unfortunate fluke, one of my hidden blades got caught in the baggage netting and I found my wrists were bound together with a paddock. No, wait, it _looked_ like a paddock but there wasn't any key hole. It was like a smooth-"

"Grey pebble?"

"Yes...you know of this lock, Axe?"

"Then what happened?" Axe said quickly, eyes upon him.

"Well, I got my pistol and shot that bastard right through the cheek," Arno smirked, with another hiccup, "Not Ice, Mr Blue Ha-"

"I know who you mean, then what?"

"Ice came over and held out something to my wrists and woosh!" Arno said, throwing his hands in the air, "My hands were on fire! But then the fire moved, much like a serpent, over to our luggage and he threw it to Alexina who then thundered off on her horse and..." Arno trailed off, frowning, "And some fool put bloody _gun powder_ on our coach! Who would do that and not tell us?!"

Axe grunted and nodded for him to continue.

"Then we went over the edge of a cliff and into water. How the hell Ice knew there was a river there, God only knows."

"Bastard," Axe muttered, looking away. "That two-timing ginger bastard."

"What?" Arno said, blinking at his blurring world.

"Nothing, just talking to myself," Axe grunted again, taking another drink but upon finding the bottle empty, growled. "Well, either way, I'm down one man," Axe continued, making Arno look up.

Axe's face was full of hidden anger. Arno coughed and looked away. He felt a well of guilt swelling up inside of him that he had come back from the mission with only a broken nose, which was now nicely healed, where as Ice had his wrist smashed up. After all, an Assassin didn't need his nose to climb up a wall or use a hidden blade. Arno chuckled at the image of an Assassin trying to do as such until he looked over at Axe again. Another question began to swim around his gut. Why had Green Coat set fire to the original HQ? He coughed. Perhaps that was a question best left for another time. "I regret that I was not able to prevent his injury," Arno said with a small nod, that feeling of guilt rising.

Axe huffed a grunt, face still very much like thunder as he failed to acknowledge him. Arno began to wonder if the copper-haired man would have been better suited had either Axe of Green been with him in collecting Francois. The Ex-Templar cleared his throat, trying to somewhat change the subject.

 "So...Ice Cream's husband...?"

Axe looked at him and mouthed a surprised "oh", nodding his head, "Well, where to start...er, how old are ya?"

"Why? Do I need to be above a certain age to listen?" Arno jested, the drink well and truly lightening his mood, before he added, "Twenty-one."

Axe blinked and leaned back with a frown.

"Bloody hell, you look older than that, lad."

Arno smirked, the drink very much _indeed_ making everything seem less serious. He pointed to his own face, "It's the beard. I haven't had a chance to shave yet since returning."

"Fair enough."

"So what was it you wanted to tell me with regards to our Vanilla Ice Cream Sundae?"

Axe looked at him with a raised brow.

"Christ the Light, boy, you weren't joking about ya getting drunk easily."

"Guilty as charged, your Honor," Arno said with a small hiccup and a mock bow.

"Ah, yes, right...well...before you were even an apple in ya ma's eyes..." Axe said as he picked up a small rock from the side and flicked it into the street, "Ice was..."involved" with another Assassin, that old one we saw with the cane and who gave ya those letters."

"...Henri?"

"Aye, Henri. Henri de la Vert," Axe said sucking his teeth in. "Back when I was your age it were me, the two brothers and Green Coat's father, who was the leader of our small band of merry Assassins. We all got on well, the two brothers had each other and me and Green's Pa were like two peas in a pod. But Henri was...well, he were quiet. For a long time he would go off, not telling me or the others where he was. But, by the Gods, he would make good on those missions. He was ruthless, Arno. Like a dog with a bone. Him and Fred were Lock Pickers and Smithers and for many years in our youth we worked like a well oiled machine. I being the youngest was always egging the others on, pulling stupid pranks and the like," Axe said with a smile, "But as with all friendships Arno, the brothers had a falling out."

"...over Ice Cream?" Arno offered a guess with a cough, trying to stop his drunk world from going just that bit more blurry.

Axe looked over at him.

"What I'm about to tell you, Arno, ya must never repeat to Green Coat, am I clear?"

~

Green Coat finished taking the gloves off from his partner's hands as the pot in the fire began to boil. He looked down and saw the faint Latin words engraved into his lover's hand. He brushed a thumb over some of the letters.

_Desolatoris Permadesco._

Green Coat swallowed, trying to forget why and how they had gotten there. He felt eyes on him and almost instantly felt Ice Cream rub a hand over his naked back. He felt the man tracing some of the scar lines there before Green Coat coughed, let go of the hand in his grasp and physically moved away. The twenty-two year old walked over to a nearby cupboard and began to hunt around for something to wash with. Their bathroom on-suite was spacious and light, much lighter than the bedroom. The air was warm from the heat being given off from the fire in the grating and off to the right was a large frosted window. Green Coat moved small boxes and tins around until a smell hit his nose. He sniffed again and shifted a few metal boxes in the small cupboard until he found the source. A small white and purple porcelain box contained an image of a herb on its shiny surface and Green Coat took it out of the cupboard, taking the top off.

"Fancy trying some Lavender soap?" he said and held up the porcelain and palm sized box towards Ice Cream.

"Where did you get that?" Ice Cream asked, walking over naked to the fire, picking a cloth up and carefully using one hand to take the large black pot off of the small fire.

"We live in a Royal Guest House, remember?" Green Coat said with a smirk, as he replaced the top with a small "clink" and closed the cupboard, "all sorts of luxuries are here for the taking-"

"We should really give some to the people living in the gardens, we need to share the wealth-"

"Hey, they took our bath," Green Coat said pointing to the vacant area of the marbled floor bathroom where the markings of a four pronged bath once stood, "I think that means we get automatic first pickings on anything we find here."

"A selfish bastard, aren't you?" Ice Cream smirked playfully making Green Coat pull a churlish face before the younger added, "Seriously, are you alright with that pot and your hand?"

"Oui, now get that area sorted, I want a bath."

"Yes Master," Green Coat mumbled under his breath with a hidden smirk of his own. He secretly loved it when Ice was bossy.

Both men began to prepare their washing area. Similar to their set up back at the old HQ apartment. Green Coat wished they had a tin or porcelain bath, but Axe had asked if it could be moved to the communal area for the other Assassins, and at the weekends for the families down in the gardens, thus they had both agreed. Still, they had the tiled bathroom that was connected to their bedroom as theirs alone. Most Assassins didn't even get that. The result of being directly involved in the storming, the twenty-two year old reckoned. After a while, Green Coat put his hands on his hips, looking at the small wooden stools and a collection of towels off to the side to dry themselves. He rubbed his chin and found two day old stubble there. He ran a hand through his lanky and greasy shoulder length hair and snorted. He needed to preen and shave. Green looked over at Ice and envied that the man didn't seem to have a facial whisker on him and his copper-hair looked not at all greasy like his own.

"Must be so nice not to have to worry about shaving," the younger sighed.

"Are you joking?" Ice Cream laughed, "I'd give my left arm to grow half a stubble like yours. My damn body though has other ideas-"

"You grew those side burns," Green Coat countered.

"With great difficulty."

"Fair enough," Green Coat said as he watched his sculpted partner bring the pot over and began to pour some water into each of their own porcelain bowls.

Green Coat scooped up some of the creamy substance from the trinket box and rubbed this hands together, generating a thick lather as his naked lover came over to him, placing the pot off to the side.

"Want me to stand here?"

"Oui, that would be perfect," Green Coat said, quickly looking up at where Ice was motioning and then back down at the soap in his hands. As he rubbed the slick waxy soap, he could feel lumps between his fingers. Suddenly he gagged and began to cough, the stench overpowering him, "Yep, this is definitely lavender," he wheezed, coughing more before looking at the hard seed like bits in between his finger nails.

"Hmm, I can smell it from over here," Ice Cream said, looking over to the side at the frosted windows, nervously, "Do you think anyone can see us from the gardens?"

"I hardly think so," Green Coat said, when he had cleared his throat, "The frosted windows make it near impossible. Well unless you were to press yourself up against it-"

"I don't think I'll be doing that," Ice Cream said looking back at him, "So don't get any ideas-"

"I won't do anything you're uncomfortable with," Green Coat said honestly, the smell of lavender now wafting around them.

"Like wise," Ice Cream said, putting his hair back up before stopping, "Can I ask you to wash my hair, too?"

"As my Master commands."

Ice Cream snorted, "You're calling me Master now, are you?"

"Well you can hardly clean yourself with that bandaged hand and if my calling you Master pleases you," Green Coat winked and stood up with white and foam covered hands, "it would certainly please me-"

"You think you'll get off on calling me Master?"

"Why not?" Green Coat shrugged, then added with a grin, "I like to try new things."

The taller Assassin studied the other.

"Alright, my equally naked servant, clean my chest," Ice Cream said with a mock look of superiority.

"As Master Ice Cream wishes," Green Coat laughed and proceeded to smother Ice Cream's chest, down to his stomach. All the while the other man watched him, face becoming flushed with sensations as the younger Assassin cleaned him. They caught each others eye and suddenly their unspoken game of power began. Ice Cream watched Green Coat's face like a hawk, searching for any sign that the man was going to crack first and throw him to the ground in lust. Green Coat too was waiting for that hitch in the man's breathing, or that tremble to tell him the man was cracking under the sexual tension. Both were very aware that they had not seen each other in over a month and the last time they had united physically was in the gardens under the mysterious lights. But that didn't mean they could not control themselves. The Assassin training both had under gone had prepared them for self restraint and the virtue of being incredibly patient. Key skills in waiting for just the right moment to strike at their target, how ever long that took. Yet just who was going to crack first in their personal mission for power was up for grabs. The competition to out wait the other commenced. The younger kept his face neutral with a smile as his hands washed the man's arms, neck and then traced down to his lover's soft yet strong stomach. He rubbed his palms in circles and around the others hips and saw those faint lighting shaped marks on his lower abdomen. He had seen and felt them before but just what they were, he wasn't sure. 

"How did you come by these?" Green Coat asked as he stood back up straight, tracing his hands up that amazing stomach and to the man's abs.

"From a time before Axe."

Green Coat felt his stomach lurch as an image of Francois looking at him in confusion slammed into his mind. At the mention of the man's teenager years and the memory of Henri still haunting the two assassins, Green Coat washed his lover's chest, brushing a thumb over a sensitive nipple and pressed his lips there.

"Hnn, don't-" Ice Cream said, eyes shutting.

"Why?" Green Coat said, backing off.

"I mean, don't stop, ah, hah" he said as Green Coat slowly returned to rubbing that nub and pressed his lips onto the other one. He licked and sucked, hearing Ice Cream moan with want as all thoughts of getting clean left the Assassins. Ice Cream arched his back as he watched Green Coat plant kisses on his wet belly. The lock smith tasted lavender mingled with Vanilla and he wasn't sure he liked the mix. He sloshed warm water over his lover again and moving his fingertips and palms over the skin as Ice Cream moaned breathlessly. He could kiss this man all day. Green Coat kissed lower and lower, until his cheek brushed coarse hair, a wicked tongue darting out.

Ice Cream gasped, his good hand suddenly lashing out and gripping Green Coat's hair and scalp at his crotch, closing his eyes tightly, "Please!"

"Yes Master, what is it you wish?"

"You damn well know what," Ice Cream's husky voice growled as he tried to swallow.

Green Coat smiled and cocked his head to the side, feigning ignorance.

"I'm sorry, I don't know. Please tell me what it is you wish, Master."

"Stop teasing!" Ice Cream growled again and tightened his grip in Green Coat's hair. The Assassin blinked at the sudden action, the pleasure going straight down to his crotch. He looked up and saw pure lust in the man's eyes making Green Coat crack and lunge. He crashed their lips together so fast that they both tumbled down onto the wet floor, knocking over a pot of water in an almighty splash. Without warning, Green Coat's mind suddenly turned it's attention to the fact another man had had Ice Cream. The young Assassin pulled back slightly and moved Ice Cream's soap and water streaked thighs apart as best he could in the slippery grasp. He reached both hands down and grabbed desperately at the mans' hips and ass to bring them up to his own, catching them a couple of times as they slid out of his soapy grasp. Green Coat jerked upwards and Ice Cream moved his hips towards Green's stomach and felt that engorged member find its target.

"Hnn-ah!" Ice Cream cried.

"I love hearing you sing, Master," Green's husky voice breathed as he felt himself enter before slamming in fully.

They moved together as Ice Cream whined and gasped in time to his lover's grunts. Green Coat gazed down with lust through his black and long wet hair, water dripping onto his partner below as he thrust. The soap and water on both their bodies and upon the marble floor made all sensations heightened and their movement's more exaggerated. He bent down and kissed the neck of the man he loved, feeling Ice move his injured arm carefully over his own neck, another hand in his wet ink colored hair trying to stabilize himself in the frenzy.

"Shhh," Green Coat tried to whisper as his own lust began to take over, "or they'll hear us-"

Suddenly Ice Cream cried out loudly as he began to orgasm, the sudden sound overriding Green Coat's own self control and he too cried out and spilled himself into the Assassin under him.

Both Assassins laid there, lax and out of breath. They breathed heavily, both spent, wet and naked on the bathroom floor.

Until Green Coat began to chuckle.

"What's so damn funny?" Ice Cream growled, annoyed he had lost the game of self restraint.

"You, hah, completely ignored me, haha," Green Coat began to laugh, "I wouldn't be surprised if the, haha, if the bloody King of Spain heard you!" And with that Green Coat dissolved into a sudden laughing fit.

Ice Cream stared at the Assassin on top of him and began to be infected by the laughter and it wasn't long before both were cackling for the sole reason of laughing at such an inappropriate and meant-to-be-tender moment.

"Oh shit, is your cast alright?" Green Coat asked in between his laughter, making Ice Cream snort, finally calming himself from the ludicrous episode of random humor.

"Yes," Ice Cream said, bring it up to his face, "A bit more lavender scented then before but no harm done."

Green Coat smiled and gently helped the other man off the floor and into a sitting position.

"And to think we just washed," Ice Cream smiled, making a face of exhausted mockery.

"Let me fix that for you," Green said as he leaned over and picked up another cloth from the side, wiping the soap suds off of Ice Cream's arms, chest and legs. He quickly finished cleaning the soap and water from out of his hair and body just as Ice Cream's eyes started to close, his body swaying.

"Hey, don't fall asleep on me now."

"I won't," the mumbled reply came.

"Really?"

"Hmm, as...you know that feeling when...um, you're too tired to sleep?" Ice Cream continued to mumble, at the cusp of slumber, still not opening his eyes.

"I do indeed," Green Coat smirked and stroked a hand down the man's front, all the way down to a thatch of hair and beyond.

Ice Cream gasped, blue eyes flying open and slammed his good hand onto a strong upper arm of Green Coat. Ice Cream looked at him with stern yet half lidded eyes.

"Do that again and I shall....I shall..."

"You shall...?" Green Coat asked playfully as he looked up at his kneeling and wet partner in front of him from his own position sitting on the floor. He gently massaged that sensual area, pressing the tip of his middle finger into that warm and inviting entrance, making Ice Cream move up onto his knees, trying to avoid the sensation.

"We really...need to clean and...get ready...Master Connor won't be happy...if...we're late..."

Green Coat leaned forward and whispered into his partner's ear, "then why are you allowing me to go deeper?"

"Oh...oh gods..." Ice Cream moaned, trying to steady himself by leaning on Green's shoulders, his cast to his chest, as he looked down and saw that finger sink in further, "If...if you keep doing that I'll...hnn, pass out again."

"I hope so as you need to sleep more than anything," Green Coat said, "Even though it's defunct, I find your birth canal still has its uses," and with that Green pushed in deeper. He held his lover to him, supporting the lock picker's weight, as he gently pushed and pulled his digit in and out of that deep heat, searching for a certain spot inside as Ice Cream whimpered and cried softly into his neck. Green Coat added in a second digit and felt that spot he knew so well and pressed. Suddenly the man in his arms, cried out and he felt liquid trickle down his hands. Ice Cream jerked his hips in time to Green's actions, a multiple orgasm sending him into the throws of intense pleasure before he very quickly blacked out.

"Mission accomplished," Green Coat said to himself as Ice Cream's body laid spent against his own. Mind full of the man's broken wrist-cast, he gently picked up the exhausted Assassin and brought him into the bedroom and laid him out in bed. Green Coat quickly returned to the bathroom, drying his own hair and body. When he returned, having put the fire out in the bathroom's grating and draining away the bowl that contained Ice's lunch, he climbed into bed, careful not to wake the man up.

"You...you....you utter...," he heard Ice Cream mumble as he curled up into their familiar spoon behind Ice Cream.

"Utter...?" the twenty-two year old asked, with a yawn.

Ice Cream turned over in bed, pressing his lips to a bare chest and snuggled into that well known warm and safe heat.

"...bastard..."

Green Coat smiled as he saw his partner finally fall asleep. He circled his arms around the Assassin, and laid his head down on the pillow. He could smell lavender still on their bodies and felt Ice Cream's chest rising and falling against his own. He wished he never had to move again. A scrap of yellow paper caught his eye off to the side and with a free hand, he reached over, careful not to wake Ice Cream. Green looked at the envelope with a confused stare. He recognized it as the letter Axe had given him, after shoving it into his chest back out in the courtyard, if the hand writing didn't give it away. He carefully used both hands to quietly rip the envelop open and began to read.

_Master Connor is to be here tonight at 8pm. So for the love of God, don't shag Ice out. We need him to fekin' walk. - Axe_

Green Coat looked down at the man in his arms before over at the ornate clock on the mantle piece.

It was 8:15pm.

"Shit."

~

Arno stared at Axe.

"So it's true then what Henri said? That he took Ice as his lover?"

"Aye, when poor Ice was nineteen. When Frederic found out, all hell broke loose. You see Arno, Assassin's aren't really encouraged to forge relationships, romantic ones, with common folk. But Henri wanted a kind partner and well, Ice was homeless and living on the streets, so each served the other."

Arno blinked, this information sobering him up.

"I can't imagine Ice Cream living on the streets."

"Neither could I, just goes to show how much a man can suppress his past," Axe said tapping his fingers on the glass bottle, "He were living in La Cour Des Miracles, if you can believe that."

Arno's mouth fell open.

"In that hell hole?!"

"How that man sleeps soundly at night from what he's been through in that place, I got no idea."

Arno heard another meaning under Axe's tone.

"That's rather a haunting thing to say."

"Ice has done time in prison, Arno," Axe said with a stern brow, "In the Bastille, even. Why do you think he knew the main way in during the storming? From what I gather he had a happy childhood but through one reason or another he ended up in La Cour Des Miracles with a gang of thieves and whores, working out of the slums, before he met Henri. Thieves and whores Arno are the Assassin's best friends for information gathering. They give us intel and we protect them from violent scum like those two over there I keep seeing ya looking at."

Arno looked around at the two men still loitering at the entrance to that dark alley way, muttering amongst themselves, casting quick looks to people passing by.

"Fair enough. So what, Ice Cream was a thief?"

"Yep, although, heh" Axe began to laugh, "Every time he were caught he'd break out of jail. No one could figure out how he was doing it. A bit like that lock on your wrists. He even got a himself nickname. "Iris the Imprison-able." Then one day, so I hears, he were sent to pinch more lock picking tools for the gang running La Cour Des Miracles. Ironically, from a lock smith that had just arrived in town."

"And that's how he met Henri?"

"More or less."

Arno raised a dark eyebrow.

"More or less?"

"Henri had gone into a brothel. So Ice followed him in there to steal his tools but he was caught red handed by the owners," Axe said, taking another drink and swallowing, sucking his teeth in, "Henri ended the night by buying Ice from them."

"What?!" Arno nearly shouted, clarity slicing through the drinking hazy like a hot knife through butter.

"Aye, so never repeat that to Green-"

"Wait, wait, wait," the young Assassin said holding a gloved hand up, trying to make sense of the web of information, "did I just hear you say Henri _bought_ Ice Cream from a _brothel_?"

"Just coz he was in there don't mean Ice were selling himself. Those types of places don't just house sex workers, ya know. There's administration, janitorial work, cooks, security...my guess is Ice, once they'd see just how fast he broke them locks to get in, found out about his skills and was ordered to keep security at the place. You've seen how he is with locks. He said so himself he had to remake all the ones he broke."

Arno didn't know what to say.

"Anyway, in the end Ice didn't know he was keeping company with an Assassin."

"Wait, how do you know all this?" Arno said with suspicion.

"Ice told me."

"He told you?"

"Yep."

"So this deep and dark La Cour Des Miracles secret of his..." the Ex-Templar said, unconvinced, "he just what, came out and told you one bright sunny day-"

"People have break downs, Arno. Ice is no different. You ever lived on the streets? In _that_ shite hole? Survival can come at a high price. And in Ice's case, he fell in love with an Assassin. Henri was and still is falling over himself for Ice, you saw those letters, that poor bastard. Stroke of luck they found each other when they did or Ice would still be at that horrendous place."

"So Henri is the sort of scum who frequents whore houses, is he?" Arno asked with a bitter taste in his mouth, from the drink or from this news he didn't know.

"Nah, he's not that lower form of life," Axe replied, drinking. "He were gathering intelligence from the girls who worked there about a man with a blue hat and white feather they'd seen stalking around. The same man we were tracking back on those roof tops and which attacked ya both in the carriage from what you've told me. Henri had and, for what ever initial reason, helped Ice get out of there. The two moved back to his apartment and they became lovers."

"Then what?"

"They were together for a while, but none of us knew he had a partner," Axe said, "He kept Ice a secret. But then, dunno how, but once the Templars saw Henri had a weakness, they went after the one thing that would hurt him the most."

"A loved one."

Axe nodded. "Templars found out where they were staying. But Henri knew he had put Ice in danger, so switched their addresses. He then vanished, to protect him I think and left Ice Cream alone..."

Arno listened, holding his empty bottle in his hands.

"Poor Ice didn't know what was happening. He had no clue who the hell Assassins or indeed Templars were and it appears that Henri never let on about himself."

"But you said Assassins dealt with whores and thieves. Surely the man must have heard something while in La Cour Des Mircales?"

"Who knows," Axe said, "But the one thing I know for sure is that Henri just upped and left. Even us Assassins hadn't a blimmin' clue where he'd gone."

An idea came to Arno.

"Perhaps he left to protect him?"

"Well Ice didn't get the message to switch addresses..so he returned to their old apartment and..."

Arno waited as Axe sighed deeply and put his empty bottle on the side of the wall.

"Fred found 'im in an alley way two days later."

"Templars tried to kill him?" Arno said, wide-eyed.

"No. Templars never touched him."

"Then what happened?"

Axe made a face, like he was trying to see something in the distance, "Henri had made him, eh..." Axe began then stopped, looking at Arno, "What has Ice told you about himself?-"

"Excuse me, monsieur," a small voice called making both men turn around. A small child, one of the group he had seen before, was holding out a dirt covered hand to him, "can you spare any change? I'm so hungry and my siblings need to eat-"

"Where's your mother?" Axe said quickly, jumping off the wall and crouching on his haunches to be at the same level as the child.

The boy blinked at the question.

"She's dead, Monsieur."

"How?"

"She ate bad bread and threw herself into the river."

Arno stood, momentarily taken aback at how frank the child was about it's deceased mother.

"Was it Rye Bread?" Axe asked.

"I don't know..." the small child said, looking confused at all the questioning.

"And ya father? Does he know you're out here begging with ya kin?"

"He's dead too, Sir."

"Where do you live?" Arno asked, crossing his arms.

"Here," the boy said, pointing to the street before one of the other children ran up to them. A girl with no shoes on and long blonde hair stopped by her brother's side, holding out one hand to them. Her other arm was wrapped up in a filthy looking cloth and was very much broken.

"What happened?" Axe asked, pointing to the injury. The girl looked at him blankly.

"The whore house tried to take her but we fought them off," the boy said proudly.

Arno looked up and with a sickening jolt saw two men loitering at the end of the street. Yes, they were indeed the same scum who many months before had tried to get him to be a customer at their abominable commerce.

"How many of you are there?" Arno asked.

"Five, sir."

"Call them over here," Axe said gruffly, scratching at his beard, not standing back up from his crouch.

The boy turned, whistled and like rats scurrying out of the gutter, three ragged looking children scampered over, hands outstretched for money.

"Which one of you is the leader?" Axe asked looking at their faces and ignoring the open palms.

They all pointed at a tall girl, no more than fourteen, who looked very apprehensive at the two Assassins.

"Right, I'm going to give you, young lady, 25 sous," Axe said, putting a hand in his pocket.

"I'm not for sale," the girl said quickly and angrily, stepping in front of her younger siblings protectively, "None of us are-"

"Nah, nah, you miss-understand. I have a little girl myself about your age and God forbid if she were ever in your shoes," Axe continued, taking out a handful of coins from his pocket and putting them into a small leather and draw string pouch. " I don't know how long you lot have been living like this, but enough's enough. Get a down payment on an apartment, get some food and get 'er some shoes to see a doctor about that arm," he said pointing to the small and shoe-less girl and handed her the money pouch.

The girl looked at the pouch in her hands like it was a new born chick.

"Make it 35 sous," Arno said, handing her more as Axe looked at him, "Have you seen the price of shoes recently, Axe?"

The girl and her siblings looked up at them in shock.

"Now be off with ya, and for God's sake don't let anyone know or see that you've got that," Axe said with a wave of his hand and the girl stuffed the pouches into her pockets, grabbed the hands of her nearest siblings and ran, the others following.

"That was very kind of you," Arno said with a smile.

"And you, sure you got some money left for food?"

"I'll survive and besides...after what you said about Ice Cream...no kid should call the street their home," Arno said, sadly.

"Aye, that's the other side to this Revolution Arno that the papers don't want to talk about...hey up, now where's he going?"

It was then both men saw the other two men head after the kids.

"Let's take a walk, shall we?" Axe said as he pulled his cowl up over his head and began to walk in the direction of the approaching men. Arno mirrored his actions, hiding his own face with his blue cowl, got the message and walked with him.

"You know, lad, there's something about my arm that just ain't right," Axe said loudly as they neared the thugs.

"Really?" Arno asked, equally as loud. "What's the problem?"

"It tends to have a habit of doing this," Axe said and suddenly swung round and punched the brutish man in the side of the face. The thwack echoed around the semi empty street as the thug staggered back and fell with a cry.

"You know, I have that very same problem," said Arno and lashed out. His knuckles connected to the side of the other grunt's face and before the man knew what was happening, the second brute hit the dirt.

Axe bent down and hefted both stunned and limp men up onto his shoulders, "Ya know, we really should see someone about it," he said, walking over to the edge of the bridge, "Or perhaps we just need some fresh air and a splash of cold water to the face," and with that, he hurled the two thugs over the wall and into the river to the stunned silence of onlookers. Arno looked over and saw the two pathetic men hit the water with much splashing and cursing, drifting down the river in the opposite direction.

"I wish Green and Ice were here to see this," Arno laughed as Axe looked at Arno very carefully.

"So...what has Ice told you about himself?"

Arno shrugged, taking his eyes away from the two men splashing.

"That he...used to work on a farm with you, that he looked after your children...why is there something else I need to know?"

"Speaking of kids," Axe said with an annoyed huff and nodded to something behind them. Arno turned and saw the five children hiding, unsuccessfully, behind a cart that was too small to cover all of them. They stared wide eyed at what the Assassins had just done.

"Congratulations, you have a following," Arno said with a chuckle.

"Great, that's all I need, curse me and my pity- GO ON GET OUTTA HERE!" Axe roared, turning to face the small group, making the children all scurry away.

"You think they'll be alright?" Arno asked with a doubtful look at their fleeing backs.

"Yeah, that older girl looks like she has her head on right, she'll take care of the little ones. At least they won't have to worry about scum for a while."

Arno nodded, wishing he could offer them a place at the HQ. The Palace of Versailles too was big enough-

"I know what you're thinking, but no, children have no place being at the HQ. Even if Mrs Breton has been badgering me that we should accept more people into the area, seeing as we have lots of food to take in beggars. But if we did that, all of the kids in Paris would be there. We can't save everyone no matter how much we want too-"

"I didn't say anything," Arno said before looking sideways at Axe with a smile. It was obvious that Axe wanted to help people in need but their Assassin duties came first.

"So, where were we, lad?" Axe said, starting to walk down the street, re-adjusting the large axe on his back.

"Ice Cream?" Arno offered as he fell instep beside his bearded leader.

"Oh right, yes...so erm...he's told you he worked on me farm?"

"And that's it," Arno shrugged, looking behind him to see that the gaggle of children had begun to follow them again.

"Did he say anything about being different from other men?" Axe asked, with a cough, seemingly oblivious to their mini stalkers.

"Different?" Arno frowned.

Axe made a face of understanding with a muffled, "Ah, he's not told ya-"

"Told me what? What do you mean he's different?"

Axe squinted in the setting sunlight.

"He's different enough to attract unwanted attention."

"Why, he's not a woman, is he?" Arno snorted with a laugh-

"AXE!"

Both men stopped walking and turned around to see Alexina running up to them with Francois from down a side street, nearly running into people as they passed by.

"Good Lord you two, slow down before ya both fall down-"

"Ah, finally we found you both!"

"Alexina? Francois? What's the matter?" Arno asked, seeing both teenagers gasping for air.

"It's the statue, Monsieur Dorian, it's humming!" Francois panted, coming to a stop next to the young woman.

"What?" Axe huffed, putting his hands on his hips.

"Humming!" Alexina said with a massive grin, turning to him, "You know, hmmmm!"

"Alright enough with the impressions," Axe scowled turning to look at Arno with an exhausted expression.

"And talking!" Francois quickly added.

"Come again?" Arno asked, eyebrows raised.

"The humming to me sounds like Latin, but..." Francois said before Alexina interrupted him.

"No, it's not! It's just _humming!_ "

"You both make up a fine tall-tale, but me and the lad have no time for stupid pranks," Axe waved his hand out at them, "now be off with ya-"

"No, Mr Axe, you have to believe us, it _spoke_!" the young curly haired teen pressed.

"No it's humming, Francois!" Alexina tried to counter, "I didn't hear any Latin!"

"What did it say?" Arno asked, suspending his belief that a marble statue could talk if only to humor the boy.

"We don't know, we can't speak Latin," Francois said, swallowing, trying to get his breath back.

"So you need someone who can," Arno said before Axe snapped his head round at him.

"You're not seriously believing this clap-trap?"

Arno looked back to his leader.

"Care to make a bet?"

"Monsieur Green Coat can speak Latin, can't he?" Francois said with a hopeful smile.

"I think Ice Cream can too," Arno frowned with a thought.

"Come on, let's find them!" Alexina practically cried, grabbed a startled Francois' arm and dragged him back the way they came, into a crowd of people passing by.

"If what they say is true, Arno," Axe said turning to the Ex-Templar with a pointed finger, "I swear on me mother's grave I'll wear a fekin' dress and dance the waltz-"

"Promise?" Arno smirked, surprised that Axe had actually agreed to his jest and pleased the alcohol had well and truly left his body. Although he was unsure if the same could be said for Axe's.

"With God as me witness, soddin' make up n' all!"

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: The recurring phrase for this chapter is "Fair enough." (I need to read a damn thesaurus.)  
> If you can't tell by now, Ice and Green love scenes are my Achilles' Heel. I spoil those two rotten, gah. - Wings
> 
> For the record, Ice Cream was never a prostitute.
> 
> Also for the record; Arno's linage we have included from the game cannon, as this was known before the game's release. Also, we need to state that the Francois in this story is not connected in anyway to another Francois from the actual AC Unity game aka Elise's father.
> 
> For those of you who play the AC Unity game, the section of the city called La Cour De Miracles is (and was) indeed a hell hole. That place makes me shudder every time I have to do a mission in there, bleh.
> 
> Also, for those of you who've played Unity, myself and my co-author laughed ourselves silly when we first heard that Bellec has the exact same accent Axe does.
> 
> Historical Note: The event of The Flight to Varennes (aka when King Louis, his wife Marie Antoinette and their children tried to flee France) has been brought forwards for the sake of story. The time now is roughly 1790, heading into 1791 pretty rapidly, (Am taking extreme artistic license with the dates, ahem) where as the King's failed escaped attempted happened in June 1791.
> 
> Reports of Cannibalism during the French Revolution are sketchy at best, and both authors have tried to find concrete evidence that it was at least reported during the time of the French Revolution. There is a confusion, however, as the term "cannibalism" is used in many articles to refer to the overall way France was behaving towards itself. Starvation was a major threat in people's lives during the Revolution and it's not impossible to disprove that, when pushed to the very limit of human endurance, certain people wouldn't consider this. But I need to add it depends on where in France one was living. Certain areas were unaffected by the Revolution and some areas were at it's mercy. In summery, due to this and lack of historical evidence, Axe has referenced to the possibility of such a horrendous act of cannibalism when he speaks to Arno, and thus, there will be no actual accounts given in the rest of the story.


	27. (E)Power and The Lion's Riddle

**WARNING: This chapter contains highly explicit sexual content from the start and throughout.**

~

Ice Cream rolled over onto his back with a yawn. He absentmindedly reached up with his good hand and scratched at one of his large dark auburn sideburns, before pressing the back of his palm to his left eye, wondering for a moment why the hell he could smell lavender.

The feeling of something heavy pressed onto his mind and the encounter with his past down in the court yard yesterday came to the fore front. A panic began to well up inside of himself as he blinked and looked up at the white plastered ceiling with one eye, still pressing the heel of his palm to the shut other. Somewhere up there was Henri. The man that had ruled his life for years and whom he had originally sort to find after the Assassin had abandoned him to his fate.

Ice Cream stared at the ceiling.

He could go up there now. Confront the man. Face up to his past and tell it to fuck off. But, no, he couldn't do that. Henri looked so frail, so pathetic and so... An old and warm flame flickered in his chest. That man had saved his life and had he offered his in return. For years the elder man was his rock. Something like that he couldn't just storm up too and tell it to go away after everything they went through together. Or could he? At thirty-six, soon to be thirty-seven...he was no longer than nervous nineteen year old looking to Henri for misplaced love and support. He would admit readily that he believed he had been in love with Henri all those years ago, or at least thought he was. So in love for the first time in his life and in the end, when it came to the fruition of that love, it had been thrown all back in his face. Henri had used him and he had to deal with the fall out. A fallout which nearly killed him if Frederic hadn't stumbled across him in that alley way. Ice Cream shuddered to think if the other De la Vert brother hadn't found him.

Ice Cream continued to stare up at the ceiling.

Henri bought him and then when he had grown board, the Assassin left. Why else would he leave? Left when his nineteen year old Lock Picker lover needed him the most. Did Henri even realize what he had left behind? Yes, he could go up to the top floor and be the powerful one. The one in charge. Tell the old Assassin that he had abandoned much more than just himself. He might even point a gun at Henri but not before he got some answers. Why was he here? Why now? Where did he go for all these years? Why didn't he come looking for his lover, Iris? Not even a letter?! Did he know that his copper haired partner had been looking for him all this time before having to give up? Did the old man even know what happened after he left? Did he realize what he had began when months later he then left them both to die-

Ice Cream gasped as the anger and relentless questions flooded his body and he yanked his cast down from his face and shut his eyes, trying to gain some control over himself. The mental barrier that Axe had helped him build up over the years rose tall in his mind and Ice Cream threw himself against it as past feelings and emotions cascaded over it, trying to get to the thirty-six year old. But he clung to that barrier as the torrent tried to drag him away into his dark mind, not ready to face what was on the other side. Ice Cream felt a slight pressure on his hand and he looked down, fully opening up his eyes, blinking the world back in to focus, not realizing he had been squeezing his eyes shut that hard. He gazed at his white cast, flexing his fingers. The pain had long since abated although his wrist felt stiff. Ice Cream mused on how long the Plaster of Paris cast would have the remain, subconsciously glad to be distracted from his thoughts, before he looked over at his young lover next to him.

The Lock Picker, resting his stiff cast on his chest as he smiled, seeing his twenty-two year old partner asleep, shoulder length inky hair spilling over the pillows as the man slept. Ice Cream worried his brow. Green Coat had no idea what pain Henri could do to his green glad figure if the old Assassin found out he was his lover and... huh, Green Coat had taken it surprisingly well that his ex-partner was here in the building.

It concerned the tall Assassin.

He knew how possessive Vincent was of him, so for him to smile and shrug off the knowledge there was an ex-rival in his territory confused the ginger-haired Assassin. It wasn't until he then reevaluated the courtyard scene in which he noticed how much Green Coat was trying to drag him away. Like the old man was a venomous snake bent to strike. He had been shaking. Which could only mean one thing. Henri and Green had already met. And Green Coat had been terrified.

_"Have you come into contact with him before?" Ice Cream asked looking up._

_Green Coat smiled.  
_

_"No."_

Ice Cream felt anger again breaking through the surface. Green Coat had lied to his face. But then...if it was true and his ex-partner had spoken to his present one...Ice Cream sighed. He couldn't blame Vincent for giving him a white lie. Perhaps he didn't want to cause himself any further distress? Suddenly rage flashed in his chest that Henri had met his now lover. How dare Henri try and intimidate the twenty-two year old. He had done his damage and now, what, he wanted to screw over his new relationship because they had a past?! A locked away memory of Axe leaked out of it's cage as a vivid image of a dusty field came to him.

_"It never happened," Axe said to an exhausted Ice Cream in the middle of the corn field, waving a hand over to his wife.  
_

_"Oui," Ice Cream said, picking up his previously and hastily dis-guarded farming spade again, digging it into the fertile dirt and yanking at the dry roots,"It never happened."_

Ice Cream had to move. Had to distract himself from all these memories before he mentally drowned. He went to move, feeling the call of nature, until he saw felt something crunchy under his arm. Ice Cream reached down with a confused blink and pulled out a rumpled up letter with Axe's unmistakable hand writing on it.

_Master Connor is to be here tonight at 8pm. So for the love of God, don't shag Ice out. We need him to fekin' walk. - Axe_

Ice Cream looked up and saw the clock across from them.

It showed 10:50pm.

"Shit," Ice Cream gasped, a panic again rising to his throat as he looked around at himself and partner, throwing the piece of paper to the side. Both of them were naked or semi, himself wearing only a white sleeping, and rather thin, cotton top with Green Coat completely decked out in his birthday suit. He held his breath and let his ears pick up on sudden movements from outside their room. He heard casual footsteps of a few Assassins talking, not rushing to where the Mentor would probably be. Good, he thought, that must mean that Master Connor was probably late. Ice Cream retrieved the discarded note from beside himself and held the piece of paper above his face, cocking a dark ginger eyebrow.

" _"Don't shag Ice out?"_   He knows you too well," Ice Cream said to himself with a scoff, before he looked at Green Coat. They had made love thrice more since leaving the bathroom. Once while somewhat awake and the second time while both semi awake as an after thought. Ice Cream had joked that Green Coat was making up for lost time, to which the other gave his answer by crushing their lips together.

Typical.

However there was a more sinister side to the last love making that wouldn't leave Ice's mind. If Green had met Henri, then perhaps Green Coat's more vigorous love making could be down to fear and anger of knowing Henri was in the building? Ice mused if Green Coat was thinking that...that he was his and no one else's to do with as they pleased and then cast away. Ice Cream would staunchly agree, Green Coat was his and he was Green Coat's. History was not going to repeat itself and to make sure no one got the wrong impression, Vincent had been repeatedly claiming him in the most dominate and base instinct way he could. Ice Cream would admit that he too willingly welcomed the Assassin in, to try and shut out the feeling that Henri was still part of his life. To re-affirm that Henri was not part of him, would never be part of him and that they would never unite as one ever again. Green Coat now had that sole privilege and upon the fourth time they united last night, it was pure fucking away the monsters for both Assassins.

Ice Cream shifted his hips and found he could still feel the after-burn of his lover's generous member from the fallout. A sharp pain shot through his pelvis and he winced. He always enjoyed welcoming in the Assassin but his inner thighs were aching again. Well, no matter, he thought as he stretched his legs out, watching as the white and golden threaded sheets around him followed his actions, still not believing that they had such exquisite quarters to call home.

Ice Cream stretched his arms out above himself and felt his spine deliciously stretch. He held it there for a moment before flopping back, with a moan, resting his injured hand on his toned and pale stomach as his intimate pain reseeded. He looked over his left shoulder to see the other occupant of the bed was now gently snoring. Green Coat was on his back now, black hair falling partly over his face, exposing a strong chest. Ice Cream scoffed as he saw there was a comical line of dribble from the corner of a mouth. The Lock Picker smiled to himself. Green Coat was a bugger to wake up most mornings. When it came to staying awake, the younger could go for days without sleep and it seemed that to actually prepare himself for sleep pained the young man. But the moment he _did_ sleep, he was out like a candle. Ice Cream had restored to a short sharp kick in the rear to get the other up, but then that just resulted in himself being wrestled out of bed, slammed to the floor in a tangle of limbs as Green had his way with him. Not that he was complaining. But having to avoid any passing Assassins questioning as to why there were loud thumps coming from their shared bedroom was best not remembered. Novices were too damn curious for their own good and on a couple of occasions there was a knock at their door inquiring if the crashes and bangs from their room were menacing in nature. Both Green and Ice had said agreed on the alibi that they were simply testing out locks and trying to break them by throwing them around the room and the like, while tacking on an apology for causing concern. This seemed to pacify any worried passerby Assassins for now. But Ice Cream had worried that their continued shared arrangements would be noticed by the other Assassins. However after a few days in their apartment-room, it seemed common place for two or more to share a room in the building. The staterooms were not infinite, indeed even Axe said he was to share with Arno from now on.

Ice Cream looked over at the dark window on the other side of the bed, wondering how many Assassins had joined the HQ since the start, scratching his belly. He paused and looked down. His lower stomach felt hard. Ice Cream pressed gently here and there with a frown. A memory surfaced but he quickly subdued it. There was absolutely no chance of _that_ happening again, he affirmed to himself. Yes he had been sick, but that maggot infested bread had worked it's way through his system. He scratched at an itchy nipple before his eyes wandered over to the snoring man in bed next to him with a frown. Master Connor was to be here, thank the Gods he was late, and Green Coat was not snoring his way out of it. He knew Vincent was never one for socializing, he'd rather be a hermit with Ice if given half the chance, but Ice Cream hatched a plan in his head and moved his foot over the others leg gently, feeling the warm skin brush over his toes. Green Coat snorted in his sleep and turn over onto his side away from the lithe Assassin.

Well that didn't work.

Ice Cream turned over in bed, twisting in the covers to lye on his stomach. He blew some of the lose copper hair that had fallen over his face. The Assassin reached up and felt the soft strands between his fingers. He smelt of Lavender and wondered if he should change his nickname, before steeling himself for the task ahead. Green Coat had to, not only wake up, but get dressed into formal attire and to not copulate with Ice so much the later passed out.

“Green...” Ice Cream said softly, reaching a hand over and gently shaking the others firm shoulder.

Green Coat snorted as he rolled onto his front away from Ice Cream and shoved both hands under his pillow, still very much asleep.

Ice Cream stared at his lover's muscled yet scared back and huffed.

Plan B.

Ice Cream gripped the duvet with his good hand and unceremoniously tossed their blanket off of them both in one swift motion.

Green snorted once again as his naked back and ass was exposed but didn't wake.

Ice Cream then saw it. A slight shift in the young man's breathing.

The elder Assassin made a face of annoyance.

Green Coat was awake and the bastard was faking.

“Vincent, we need to get up...,” Ice Cream said in his normal voice, "Master Connor is here."

Faint snoring.

Ice Cream resisted rolling his eyes. He knew what the other was doing. Green Coat had a habit of hardly sleeping so when he actually did, he milked it for all it's worth. Not that he could blame him. Green would always feign sleep for a few more minutes of rest. When it came to evening, Ice Cream liked to turn in early. Well, he tried too at least, if it weren't for Greens heavy sex drive keeping them both awake, then he wouldn't have such bags under his eyes. Well the sex was great but, still...Ice Cream narrowed his blue eyes and smiled devilishly. He crept up closer to the warm body next to his. When was the last time _he_ had lavished physical attention on the _other_? Apart from when they copulated, Green Coat always seemed to be the one who was more prone to touch-y feel-y and tended to instigate their love making. Ice Cream looked down. He could just slap that inviting and unprotected ass hard and Green would soon be awake. But he had a better idea. Ice Cream visually marked his target, leaned over and gently hovered his lips over a shell of an ear.

_"I love hearing you sing, Master," Green's husky voice breathed._

Ice Cream grinned. If Green Coat wanted him to “sing” then so be it.

“Frere Jacques, Frere Jacques...” Ice Cream softly sung under his breath into Green Coat's ear.

Green Coat was silent, his sides and back rising and falling in apparent sleep.

Ice Cream moved a little bit closer, beginning to shift his body weight onto the Assassin.

“Dormez-vous...?”

Closer Ice Cream crept.

“Dormez-vous...?”

But the twenty-two year old remained silent.

Ice Cream moved forwards more, pressing more of his body onto the one under him. He felt not unlike a rider trying to ride an unbroken horse that was liable to buck at any moment.

“Sonnez les matines, Sonnez les matines...” Ice Cream sang, gently moving his white shirt covered chest onto Green Coat's own naked back.

"Ding, dang, dong..."

Ice Cream pressed his lips ever so softly to the air at Green Coat's ear.

"..ding..."

He slipped and hand down the side of Green's hip, his fingers brushing the air there.

"...dang..."

Ice Cream leaned down further and touched his lips to the back of Green Coat's ear-"...don-AH!"

A strong arm shot out and wrapped around the back of Ice's neck, pulling him down onto the mattress face first. Ice shrieked into the mattress and tried to wiggle out of the headlock. He collected all his strength into his shoulders and pulled back sharply, but in doing so sacrificed his white sleeping shirt as he slipped out of it and sat back on Green Coat's lap, completely starkers and free from the grab, his long ginger hair flowing over his face.

"Hmm, Ice Cream, have you lost weight?" Green Coat asked with a smile, half a sleep as he nuzzled his face into Ice Cream's shirt, "You seem so thin-"

A pillow to the face was his answer.

Green Coat peeked out from under that pillow and looked up to see Ice Cream literally pouting at him, his wavy copper hair flowing tangled around his face.

Green Coat offered the grumpy Assassin his best sly smile.

"You're damn sexy when you pout-"

"Master Connor is here and we are late," Ice Cream said bluntly, annoyed that his plan had backfired, "You need to get up."

Green Coat stretched his arms out luxuriously with a smile, turning onto his back and throwing a cocked eyebrow up at Ice Cream.

"But I _am_ up."

Ice Cream looked at Green Coat's crotch with a raised eyebrow.

"That's not what I meant," he said as Green Coat smirked, moving to sit up.

Green Coat leaned forwards, bringing his hands up the sides of Ice's hips and feeling all the toned muscles there that made up his strong yet lithe partner. Green began to kiss a supple neck, humming as he did so. Ice Cream shuddered, trying to turn away from the intoxicating feeling of the man's stubble brushing against his own soft skin. He reached his leg out to try and slip off the bed and away from the delirious and euphoric feeling.

"Hnn, we really....really....should-"

"Shhhhh," Green Coat whispered, "we have time," and he slipped a hand down his lover's leg, pulling him back. Green Coat reached both his hands down to Ice's ass and hefted the man up, pulling them both slowly backward onto the bed so Ice Cream was lying on top of him. The elder Assassin clumsily tried to wiggle away from resting on Green Coat's chest but those fingers massaged every intimate spot that rendered him useless, until he finally gave in and dissolved into his partner's arms with breathless whimpers.

Having successfully charmed his partner, Green Coat swiftly reversed their positions and pushed Ice Cream down onto his stomach and pinned him there as his other hand glided downwards. Ice Cream gasped as he felt Green Coat's fingers searching and then finding, bring his hips up to mount the Lock Picker. Ice Cream whined as he was prepared, gripping the sheet covers as Green Coat kissed the back of his neck softly, guiding his all too ready manhood into that heat-

"Hnn, wait, stop."

Green Coat halted his movements.

"I...," Ice Cream said, making a face, "...my stomach..."

"Are you alright?" Green Coat said as he leaned back with a worried expression.

"I feel nauseous."

"Come again?" Green Coat paused, letting go of those hips, as Ice Cream moved to sit up and face him.

"Not due to you touching me, just..."

Green Coat tilted his head to one side, feeling his erection begging to be seen too.

"Last night was intense and honestly I feel that I'm still sore from it."

"Have I hurt you?" Green Coat swallowed, confused but with genuine concern, guilt not far away.

"No, but when I was away with Arno, I was sick frequently," Ice Cream said and swallowed too, "Cursed maggot bread..."

"Maybe another time?" Green Coat said, rubbing the man's back, feeling his own dick protesting at the sudden change of plan. He desperately wanted to make love with the Assassin but wasn't going to force him.

"No...I have an idea..." Ice Cream said, casting his eyes downwards to Green's crotch, " _You_ lye down on _your_ front."

Now it was Green Coat's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"So _you're_ the active one now?"

Ice Cream scoffed at the challenging look.

"Ha, all I have to do is snap my fingers and you'd cum, you're that easy to bring to orgasm."

Green Coat felt a thrill shoot through his spine and without thinking leaned into the man's personal space so their noses nearly touched.

"Prove it."

The two Assassins stared at each other. When it came to making love, it was an unspoken rule that Green Coat would always take the penetrating and dominant role. They both knew that due to what happened to Ice Cream back at the stables, the physical reversal of these positions was never to happen. Both men knew but never brought up the harrowing event of Ice Cream's loss. Besides, their choice of who was dominant and who was submissive matched their personalities and never once had the other questioned their respective roles. However, Green Coat and Ice Cream both secretly to themselves wished to experience that role reversal. Both knew Ice Cream couldn't perform identically, but never the less, the shift of power both men yearned to experience. They had only once come close and that was after Ice Cream's power fuck upon him back at the Tavern.

They continued to stare at each other and Green Coat felt his breathing increase as Ice Cream stared at him and realized too late that he was being pushed back purely by that gaze alone until Ice Cream was hovering over him. Green Coat felt himself hunched over, looking up with a crick in his neck, feeling like a dog scolded. A danger alarm sounded in Green Coat's mind at how whenever he saw that dark look in the man's jet blue eyes it meant the man was in Assassin mode. He was used to seeing it during missions. But in bed? Only once he had seen it and that was during his "punishment". Green Coat began to blink rapidly, feeling his face flush that perhaps he had bitten off more than he could chew as Ice Cream narrowed his eyes at him. That role reversal was about to happen and Green Coat shuddered at the expectation of the erotic unknown.

"On your knees."

Green Coat did as he was told, moving onto his stomach and pushing himself to be on hands and knees, the soft white and gold threaded sheets dipping with his weight. He suddenly realized that perhaps this is what Ice Cream feels when he's mounted? Green Coat knew Ice wasn't about to mount him- He gasped as he felt the unusual presence of Ice Cream over him, feeling the man's hips near his ass. Green Coat swallowed as he looked over his shoulder, a flicker of doubt entered into his system at what Ice was about to do to him and wondered if he should call a halt to the proceedings. Both men knew that when one said "stop" the other was never to force themselves onto the other. The amount of respect each Assassin held for the other was knowing that they were safe in their most intimate moments, free to experiment and when one was seriously uncomfortable with something, then neither had a fear of voicing it and worrying if the other Assassin would take umbrage. Green Coat knew that if he was to ask the man to halt, he would. But a thrill of wanting to be dominated by the Lock Picker kept his mouth shut, his body singing to be an instrument that the talented Lock Picker could pluck and do with as he pleased. However, as much as he wanted to dive into the unknown of the role reversal, Ice said that they needed to get up to see Master Connor. As much as they enjoyed the fun of being together, when it came to Assassin duties they literally couldn't and wouldn't fuck around with their responsibilities.

Green Coat made up his mind and gave the ultimate decision over to Ice Cream.

"What about Master Connor?"

"Shut up," Ice Cream growled, shifting into position and Green Coat felt himself shudder. That intense look that he only very rarely saw in the man's electric blue eyes was continuing to make Green Coat surrender to his most secret desires, making his knees shudder. He was suddenly reminded of the time Ice Cream had pinned him down and taken him. Or rather, he had taken Ice Cream but the other man had all the control.

 Ice Cream moved his entire body onto his, as if in mounting, reached down and found the two round softness at the man's groin.

"Hnn!" Green Coat moaned, hanging his head, as Ice Cream touched him.

"You are not to cum or move your hips until I tell you too."

Green Coat murmured an agreement, as without his control his hips began to thrust against the man's palm.

Ice Cream put more pressure on his back and snarled.

"I gave you an **order** , Assassin."

"O-oui," Green Coat breathed and forced his hips to stop. But soon they began to move forwards and backwards as the sensations to his crotch of being touched commanded his body. Being unable to control himself earned him a sharp slap on the ass.

"Do as you're told!"

Green Coat whimpered as the man began to stroke the skin around his manhood, up and down his thigh with his good hand. He could then feel something hard and rough glide up and down his eager member, pumping him frustratingly slow, as the kisses to his neck and shoulders continued to drag. Green Coat looked down and saw that Ice was using the texture of his cast to caress him, his free fingers holding Green's member securely. It was so frustrating! Green Coat whimpered and felt control leaving him. He was losing his mind, the longer the pumping continued; he had to cum!

"Ice-Ice I can't-!"

"What was that?"

"I need to- I need-"

"Are you refusing my commands?"

"N-no!"

"Then..." Ice Cream said as he pumped his lover harder, using his free hand to hold their hips together, "Beg me," Ice Cream whispered into the flushed ear.

Green Coat felt his manhood twitch.

"W-what?"

The lock picker growled and began to nip at the man's ear lobe.

"Hn-ah!"

"Beg me for your release."

"Ah!"

Ice Cream moved more of his weight onto the man under him, burying his face into Green Coat's hair, a hot breath ghosting over the twenty-two year old's scalp, completely dominating him.

"Hnn I can't last, _fucking hell **please** Ice_!-"

Green Coat growled, feeling himself reaching that intense peak. It was odd having Ice mounting him but it was so God damn erotic that he couldn't think straight. That powerful Lock Picker who one minute was smiling at him warmly then the next second throwing power fucks upon him sent his brain into overdrive. The feeling of his member thrusting against that rough cast was strange but the friction caused sparks of pleasure to shoot up into his brain. Suddenly he gasped as his head was pulled back and Ice Cream began to aggressively suck on his neck.

"Hnn-fuck-ah!"

"Beg," Ice Cream growled.

"Oh Gods, please! Please Ice-ah- I have to cum, please!"

"Beg."

"Gah-ah!"

"Are you listening to me?"

"Let me cum! Please! I'm begging you, let me cum!"

"I can't hear you."

"HNN-FUCKING-HELL-I'M-BEGGING-PLEASE-!"

"Ever so rude," he heard the man said as the tugs continued, "But I can reach an agreement."

Green Coat growled, frustration swarming around him at what Ice Cream wanted to hear him say.

"When I whisper your name, only then you can cum."

"What?!" Green Coat gasped turning his head to look over his shoulder and saw a vision he would never forget, as the sight of Ice Cream mounting him went straight to his crotch. He willed himself not to spill his seed right then and there as the hold he had on himself was as thin as the skin on his teeth. And Green Coat honestly didn't know how long he could hold himself back.

"V..."

Green Coat gasped as he felt himself about to tip over the edge, thrusting his hips into Ice Cream's grasp.

"...I...N..."

 Green Coat whimpered.

"...C...."

Ice Cream smirked as he now put all his body weight onto the slightly shorter Assassin.

"...E..."

Green Coat cursed at how long his name was.

"...N...."

**_"I CAN'T HOLD ON!"_ **

"..."

Green Coat gasped as he felt that hand switch with the non-cast one and the grip on him increased into vice so tight Green Coat finally lost himself as Ice Cream put his full body weight onto the slightly shorter one below and growled.

"T."

**_"AHHHHH!"_ **

Ice Cream jerked his hand and felt hot liquid spill out onto it. Ice cream continued to milk his lover as Green emptied his seed over the man's hand, feeling some dripping in between his fingers.

No sooner had Green Coat been brought to orgasm, then his arms collapsed from under him and he fell onto the bed, trapping Ice's hand good under him.

Ice Cream, ass in the air and bent over at an odd angle, tugged at his stuck arm.

“...Green...?”

The man didn't move.

"Vincent?"

A snore was heard.

Ice Cream narrowed his eyes trying to yank his only good hand free.

"Oi, gimme back my arm," he huffed and bent down. Ice Cream nipped at the man's pert ass cheek making the twenty-two year old yelp in surprise and pain as his non-cast hand was finally set free. Ice Cream looked at it then at his cast, checking he hadn't cracked it in the fray but only the smell of lavender and Green's own essence adorned it. Satisfied, Ice Cream crawled off the now spent twenty-two year old and began to dress.

Green Coat turned over in bed, rubbing his bitten ass to see a nearly fully dressed Ice Cream looking down at him with a cocked eyebrow like one would do to a naughty puppy.

"I love it when you boss me around," Green Coat mumbled with a cock of a smile, before he nodded to the red patch on a plump ass cheek, "even more when you get rough."

"Good," Ice Cream said with a pleasant smile, "Now get up," and smacked him hard on that red cheek.

Green Coat yelped, curling up before looking over to his partner. Ice Cream could be a right arse at times. He liked it. Green Coat continued to watch his lover before he sighed.

"Why can't we both just stay here? Inside our stately room?"

Ice Cream looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"T'as peur d'un peu d'air frais, mon vieux?"

“No, just afraid of you...” Green Coat snorted, rubbing his smarting ass cheek, leaning over and starting to climb out of bed. Where as their usual bouts of love making involved himself taking the active role, to have Ice Cream be sexually domineering was a most unusual yet very welcoming aspect to their dynamic. Even if he now had a sore arse-

Suddenly there was loud banging on their door.

"Urgh, go away," Green Coat ground out into the pillows as he fell back onto the bed on his side, feeling spent, wondering if another Novice was knocking on their door to ask if they were alright. Well, he had to admit, he was rather loud when he came.

"Axe?" Ice Cream called, now fully dressed and walked over to the door, "Arno is that you?"

"Tell 'em we're fornicating," Green Coat mumbled under his breath into the pillow-

"Alexina! What's the matter?- oh no, _don't come in!"_

Green Coat's eyes shot open before he quickly yanked the white and golden threaded sheets over his head completely hiding himself.

"Master Connor is here! Master Connor is here!" Alexina sang as she burst into the large room, not seeing a large lump over in the four-poster bed, "and the statue Monsieur Ice Cream! It's humming, it's been doing it ever since Master Connor arrived! By the way, why did you take the lion statute away from the HQ when you and Arno went to get Francios?"

"Er, now isn't a good time, Alex-"

"Well no matter, but Ice Cream you have to hear it humming! But, speaking of Francois, he thinks it sounds like words but, pff, I think it's humming..."

Alexina trailed off as she pointed at Ice Cream's hand.

"What's that?"

Ice Cream looked at his good hand and saw with a horrified start remnants of Green Coat's seed.

The man thought fast.

"Oh-er-soap!" he said, quickly taking the first thing that came to hand and wiping the evidence away. It was only after he looked down that he realized he had picked up Green Coat's red sash-

"Who's that in your bed?!"

Ice Cream's eyes shot up as he watched Alexina's mouth dropped open and lift a finger, pointing with a shocked whisper over to the gold and white colored four poster bed and sheets.

"Oh my God, _you_ have a lover!?"

Shit.

"Alexina-" Ice Cream said, throwing the red sash to the side and moving forwards towards her, his hands up.

The short girl's brown eyes widened.

"How long has this been going on for?!"

"Alex, please listen-"

"What's her name?!"

At this Ice Cream paused, wide-eyed, not sure he had heard her correctly.

"What?"

"Her name, you daft fool, your girlfriend's name!" Alexina said, gesturing to the lump in the bed.

"Uh," Ice Cream said, looking over at a hidden Green Coat, "Ye-yes! My-my girlfriend!"

_Girlfriend?_ Green Coat mouthed to himself under the duvet with a look of confused bemusement from under the sheets. He held in an uncomfortable squirm as he felt his own spent and still warm essence under him, staining the sheets. He was about to shift his hips away from it before he heard footsteps near the bed.

"Hello!" the short girl called at the prominent lump, coming up to the side of the bed, "I'm Alexina! Sorry for bothering you and your boyfriend! What's your name?" Alexina said as she reached out a hand towards the duvet, "As we might have met before-"

"Alex-I-have-a-task-for-you!" Ice Cream quickly said, taking the girl's hand and yanking her away from the bed.

"Oh, a task?" Alexina blinked up at him suddenly.

"Yes, er..." Ice Cream said, before looking around the room for something. His eyes passed over to the items on the bedside table and he quickly picked up the nearest thing, "Silly Green Coat forgot to take his wallet with him, if you can give this back to him, that would be great!"

"But I-"

 "You can do that, can't you?" Ice Cream said with a wide smile, nodding and pulling the girl towards the door and shoving the dark leather wallet into her hands.

"Certainly, Ice Cream, but-"

"If you could do that for me," Ice continued, moving so Alexina had to now literally back out of the doorway, "that would be fantastic"-

"Wait," Alexina said, walking backwards out of the room with a confused look at the leather wallet, "why would he leave his wallet on your bedside table-"

"Bye, Alex!"

And with that, he slammed the door in her face.

Ice Cream turned and pressed his back onto the shut door, letting out a sigh and swearing under his breath before he looked over just in time to see Green Coat push the covers off himself. The Lock Smith gave his lover a look of utter disbelief before Ice Cream realized what he'd done.

"Oh no."

There was a scream from behind the door that one could only describe as fan girly.

~

Green Coat walked down the corridor of the Royal Guest House picking at his sash. He was making his way to the meeting room where Master Connor was to be and was on auto-mode, following the backs of three Assassins as they too headed to the gathering. Ice Cream had gone on ahead with a slight limp to speak to Axe and apologize that they were late. Green Coat had said he would hang back, both men knowing that Axe would only scold the younger Assassin for ignoring his warning in relation to Ice Cream's tell-tell walk. Green Coat made a scowl as he continued to pick at the hard white and semi translucent gunk on this sash, wondering where it came from and how it got there. He nearly stopped with a bark of a laugh when he realized just what it was before someone hit into his shoulder, running at a sprint past him.

"Hey Monsieur Green Coat! Sorry!" Francois called as he ran past him and the other meandering Assassins with a bow, "I'm very sorry, gentlemen!"

Green Coat didn't have time to reply as suddenly four dirty looking children jostled past him on both sides running after Francois, colliding into his sides with giggles and laughter followed by an equally dirty covered and tired looking teenage girl.

Green Coat stopped and raised an eyebrow. How the hell did kids, presumably from the make shift village in the gardens, get in here? And why were they chasing Francois? The man felt his stomach clench at the memory and subject of the last time he spoke to the boy. He fixed his trademark scowl firmly onto his face. No. Francois wasn't Ice Cream's son. Stop being stupid. Feeling highly annoyed, for this was an Assassin HQ, not some God damn playhouse, Green Coat shoved both his hands into his pockets at the sides of his coat and sulked his way to the meeting room, following the three taller Assassins in-

"Oh! Green, lad, over here!"

The young man turned and saw Frederic poking his head out of a door off to his left.

Great. This windbag wanted something.

"Your group is to meet in the bedroom off to the right," Frederic said pointing, "Arno's already in there, just wait for the other two, Francois and Alexina should be there soon too."

Green Coat nodded with an internal groan that Alexina was to be there. Upon her scream outside of their room, both he and Ice Cream had strategically waited for her to get bored of waiting outside their room in order for them to leave. After fifteen minutes the coast was clear and Ice sped off to say sorry to Axe for the delay. Green Coat felt his foul mood increase with the knowledge Arno was already in the room. He really didn't want to be alone with that idiot. Well, it could be worse, his mind reminded him as he turned the knob to the white paneled door and entered; Henri could be in there.

~

Arno stood in the middle sized and handsome bedroom and watched as a foul looking Green Coat entered. The Ex-Templar noticed the other see him and moved to stand near the far wall, keeping a safe distance.

"Do I smell or something?" Arno jested to which Green Coat coughed and looked away.

Arno sniffed as he could smell something sweet in the air but gave it no more thought. He coughed and marveled that he knew so much more about Ice Cream than Green Coat would ever know. And knew that if he was to ever divulge that information to the scowling Assassin he would have one up on the man. But, as was not his character to blab, Arno smirked at his own self control. He didn't have to ask why Green was in a bad mood. Having just met your lover's husband was never to be a laugh-a-minute affair.

"Good evening, Green Coat," Arno said loudly and pleasantly.

Green Coat grunted, still not looking at him.

"You seen the others?"

"Dunno," Green Coat grunted, shoving some loose black hair back behind his ear.

"I am going to assume Alexina told you that Master Connor is here? Although I haven't heard anyone else mention him. I think she might be over reacting to the rumor he's here."

Green Coat sniffed, looking off to the side.

Arno hid a smirk as he announced their next mission to either kill time or tease the man who wouldn't acknowledge him, he didn't know.

"No doubt Axe has told you, but we are to head into town to see the reaction of the populist upon the return of King Louis."

"Really?" Green Coat said, eyes now looking at Arno

"Oui. Just you and me."

Green Coat blinked and looked away.

Arno turned his head away as the smirk broke through briefly. He stopped as he saw Ice Cream and Axe enter the candle lit room. He waved a slight hand to them as they saw and made their way over.

"Evenin' all," Axe said as he came up to them before he stopped and sniffed the air, "Is it me or can you smell lavender?"

Arno sniffed the air at Axe's question, noticing that yes, that was what the smell he had detected a faint trace of earlier. "Oui, I can," he said and looked at Green Coat.

"I can't smell anything," Green Coat said bluntly.

"Neither can I?" Ice Cream said looking off to the side as Axe shrugged and nodded to Francois, Alexina and Frederic entering the room.

Green Coat caught Ice Cream's eye and both men let a small smirk grace their lips before Alexina jogged up to them and sandwiched herself in between the standing lovers.

"You both don't mind if I stand here do you?" she said, grinning from ear to ear looking up at Ice Cream who looked away defeated and embarrassed. Alexina then turned the other way to grin at Green Coat and was met by an incredibly filthy look.

"Good evening, good evening!" Frederic called, oblivious to the mini-show down across the room, as he shut the door and coughed into his fist, "I hope you don't mind me bringing you all together like this but something amazing indeed is currently transpiring!"

"Master Connor is here!" Alexina sung, nearly jumping for joy.

"...well, he was meant to be here but-" Frederic said, momentarily distracted.

"Oh? He's not here?" Alexina said shocked, "But I saw his boots in the entrance hall!"

"Ya probably got confused with another's boots, right Alexina?"

Arno looked over to the girl sandwiched between Ice Cream and Green Coat who one second was looking confused and about tot protest at Axe when she suddenly exclaimed that yes she had been mistaken. He frowned, something didn't seem right.

"Storm up north, I presume," Frederic said before he turned to the ginger haired Assassin.

"Now first, Ice Cream-"

The copper haired man looked up.

"I know you were looking forward to heading off to the Fountain of Salmacis, and goodness knows we've tried time and time again to get a party to actually go since that meeting I gave with the Lion's Light Show, but the Mentor, Master Connor, will give the _official_ order and time scale when he arrives. I've heard a storm up north has hindered his arrival, but hopefully he will be here shortly. Goodness knows we need a time scale we can keep too what with all this Revolution stuff going on-"

"So partly disregard that note I gave ya both," Axe said with a double look at Ice Cream and Green Coat.

"Yes, Sir," Ice Cream nodded, standing straight with arms behind his back.

Alexina playfully mirrored the Lock Picker's action and earned a warning jab in the ribs from Green Coat's elbow.

Frederic nodded to Francois who brought out a leather tube. Arno recognized it straight away from the old apartment and the group all moved closer to the circular table in the middle of the room.

Francois opened up the tube and placed the marble white lion that slide out of it onto the shiny wooden surface.

All souls leaned towards the lion statue in silence.

It was humming.

"By the Gods, you were right," Axe murmured leaning back in shock.

"Is it safe?" Arno asked with a frown.

"Well," Frederic said, rubbing his chin, "I've not put the diamond back into its eye yet-"

"Please don't," Green Coat quickly interrupted.

"It sounds like a mosquito," Francois said as he frowned, picking up the statue and putting it to his ear, "But when I put my ear to it, now I can hear words-"

"What?" Axe said, crossing his arms.

"They sound like Latin," the dark curly haired boy said, "Here, try putting it to your ear," he said as he offered the marble carving to Ice Cream.

The Lock Picker took the lion statue and cautiously held it to his ear. He blinked. "Sounds more like a faint heart beat to me," Ice Cream said, holding the lion to his ear before offering it to Green Coat but Alexina got their first.

"No, it's humming!" she said pressing it to her ear to confirm before Green Coat exhaled and took the statue from her, pressing it to his own ear. He listened. For a second there was silence but then a very faint sound could be heard.

"I can hear a heart beat too..." he said looking to Ice Cream, before offering the statue to Axe.

Axe took the statue and pressed it to his ear.

There was silence around the room.

"What does it say?" Francois asked after a long while of silence.

Axe made a face and looked at the lion in his palm with disdain before slapping it into Arno's hands.

"Sod all."

"Arno, what do you hear?" Ice Cream asked. Arno swallowed, feeling all eyes upon him and pressed the warm marble to his ear. There was silence before, like an echo reverberating backwards, the sound became louder and louder until it reached a plateau. A sound repeated again and again and he thought he was going mad.

"What's it saying?" Francois asked again.

"Lacus?" Arno said with a confused face, then added "All I'm hearing is some sound like a word, "Lacus", what ever that is meant to mean-"

"Lacus?" Green Coat said off to the side, with a raised eyebrow, "That means "lake" in Latin-"

"Why would the statue be saying "Lake?" Francois asked.

"I think we're all hearing different things," Arno said, as he saw the look on the others faces.

"Fred, what do you 'ear?" Axe asked as the lion was offered to the man.

Frederic blinked as if confused by the question, before he smiled and shook his head, putting a hand up.

"Well, I've already listened and once is enough for me, thank you."

"Why?" Green Coat asked, knowing when something was very wrong when it came to Frederic, "what did it say?"

Frederic looked up and coughed into his fist again, before the color faded from his face, "Well, it introduced itself to me and after saying it knew who I was then informed me, under no certain terms, that..."

Frederic looked up at the group and swallowed.

"Mors tua, vita mea," he said with a tight smile that was identical to a grimace, his eyes darting to his beaded-sash as he began to fiddle with it.

"Excuse me?" Axe blurted before there was a gasp and all eyes looked over to Ice Cream.

"What...what does it mean?" Alexina asked hesitantly, all playfulness gone as she looked between the two men either side of her with frightened eyes.

" _Your death.._." Green Coat said with wide eyes at Frederic, " _...is my life._ "

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Dun Dun Dun. You know what they say: Get the gratuitous Green Coat and Ice Cream sex scenes out of the way first because a plot device is needed. Or something like that.
> 
> Beware of my dodgy French grammar!
> 
> Originally the scene of Ice singing “Frere Jacques" was to be a one off GreenIce fanfic and had been waiting on my desktop to be finished, until I needed a wake up scene and voila!  
> Moon is in charge of the Latin words in this story. If what the lion is really saying to Frederic is "butt monkeys" then blame her. - Wings
> 
> ~  
> I've had requests for more information about Ice Cream's physical intersex make up and to best answer I have written more information below.
> 
> Short Answer:  
> Ice Cream has ovaries, uterus and a vagina. He also has a scrotum which is empty and a sexually non functioning penis (that cannot ejaculate). However, after the incident in the stables he was rendered more female than male. Ice Cream will explain more about what happened to him at the stables and about his physical appearance fully when Arno finds out he is intersex during the course of the story.
> 
> Long Answer:  
> Ice Cream's form of intersex is a combination of fact and fiction. The fact side is based on two sources. One source is taken directly from the Prader Scale and Ice Cream is somewhere between Stages 2, 3 and 4:
> 
> "-For Stage 2, genitalia are obviously abnormal to the eye, with a phallus intermediate in size and a small vaginal opening with separate urethral opening. Posterior labial fusion will be present.  
> -Stage 3 shows a further enlarged phallus, with a single urogenital sinus and almost complete fusion of the labia.  
> -Stage 4 looks more male than female, with an empty scrotum and a phallus the size of a normal penis, but not quite free enough of the perineum to be pulled onto the abdomen toward the umbilicus (i.e., what is termed a chordee in a male). The single small urethral/vaginal opening at the base or on the shaft of the phallus would be considered a hypospadias in a male. X-rays taken after dye injection into this opening reveal the internal connection with the upper vagina and uterus."
> 
> The second is from True Gonadal Intersex. One of Ice Cream's ovaries has testicular tissue. But I've stated before that his entire form of intersex is partly fictional due to the needs of the story.
> 
> There is another intersex character who is more scientifically accurate. I've written about that character below, but beware there are spoilers!
> 
> *****SPOILERS*****
> 
> There are two intersex characters present in this story, Ice Cream being one and the other being Alexina. She is also intersex and her make up is based exclusively on a real known case from Herculine Barbin's french memoirs (where as Ice Cream's form of Intersex deviates from scientific known cases. )
> 
> The historical account of Herculine Barbin (from which Alexina is named after) states that she had a vagina that ended in a col-de-sac, undesended testes and a micro penis (that I presume was originally assumed to be a clitoris). She had no womb and never menstruated. If one was to ask this stories' Alexina which she identifies more with, men or women, she would say women. If you were to ask Ice Cream which gender he identifies with more, he would say male.
> 
> I've realized that I need to make it more apparent that Ice Cream trains to keep up his physical appearance, mainly with his chest. He has breasts but with the lack of fat and more muscle on him from the life style of being an Assassin, they are now indistinguishable from pectoral abs.  
> Some have already guessed it, but Francois is related to Ice Cream. However, he is not intersex. Francois will find out his true connection to Ice Cream later in the story.


	28. A Betting Man's Game: Part One.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Potential AC Spoiler Warning:  
> The following chapter contains references to all known Pieces of Eden and their effects. (Until the year 1791)

~

"Excuse me?" Arno said as Green Coat finished translating.

"What the..." _Your death is my life_?" Axe said, looking to the men around him like the entire conversation was some badly timed joke, "What sorta cryptic bumf is that?"

"Well, I would assume that the statue," Frederic said, still semi-picking at his beaded sash, "...if it did have a sense of humor, wouldn't start making threats to me if it was in jest."

"Is it telling the future?" Alexina asked nervously from where her petite form was standing in between Ice Cream and Green Coat.

"Wait, how does it know your name?" Francois asked from the side, turning to Frederic.

"Because it's been listening," Ice Cream said quietly, staring at the lion on the table.

The entire room fell silent. All eyes settled on the piece of white rock until Axe started to laugh, turning to the older Assassin next to him, shaking his head.

"Christ-the-Light, what are we doing 'ere Fred?"

"I sometimes ask that myself but, I can't deny what I saw in Turkey, Axe," Frederic said, rubbing his eyes, "This lion, while I don't think is a literal Piece of Eden, is certainly connected to one. Or connected to something that will readily kill Templars in the middle of a desert."

"...have any of the other Pieces been conscious?" Arno suddenly asked to the room at large. He had heard during his Templar days that such things as "Pieces of Eden" existed and both Templars and Assassins were after them. Almost magical-like devices that gave their users immense and terrible power.

"Well...what Pieces have the Assassins and Templars been in contact with?" Frederic asked, scratching his head, "We have the Apple, one of about five or more I'd say...hmm, a Sword, Stave," he continued, counting them off on his fingers, "Cloth, Box and a Skull-"

"What did they all do?" Alexina asked curiously.

"The Apple, or rather Apples, caused hallucinations. Great stuff for manipulating people and bending them to your will if you so fancied," Frederic said, his brow lowered in deep thought, "The Sword for wielding power and the Stave was very much the same. One could even combine an Apple to it to give a sort of enhancement to the ensemble. The Box was recently found to be able to see into other people's visions. Oh wait, or was that the Skull...?"

"And the Cloth?" Arno asked, bracing his hands on the circular table in the candle light.

"Ah yes, The Cloth...it could heal or kill a man who wound up in it's fabric...wait, wait!" Frederic said, eyes bulging out suddenly, "That _could_ talk! Or apparently was meant to be able to-"

"What did it say?" Green Coat said with a cough, feeling a slight headache coming.

"I never believed it me-self but, apparently it would depend on the person," Axe said, crossing his thick and muscular arms, "I 'eard it would be nice to some folk but smite others without so much as a fair warnin' " Axe scoffed, looking away, "Load a toss-"

"Perotto Calderon," Frederic said, more so to himself than to the others around the table, "He was the last Assassin to use the Cloth, or Shroud as some people called it, as far as I'm aware. Terrible tale but if it was Camille and our child I would have done exactly the same."

"Why what happened?" Ice Cream asked, cocking his head sideways in curiosity.

"Perotto was an undercover Assassin in Italy about two hundred years ago," Frederic said, "So undercover, in fact, that he got his target pregnant."

"He fell in love with his target?" Alexina asked, amazed, "...aww, that's so romantic."

"Aye," Axe said with a cough, "it does happen."

"So why did he have the Cloth in the first place?" Arno asked, "He stole it from the Templars?"

"Well, when his target gave birth, the baby was deformed and weak. So weak, in fact, that it was about to die," the tall Assassin said with a look over at Axe briefly, "Perotto did what any father would do and did everything in his power to save his baby son. He stole the Cloth from the Italian Brotherhood, wrapped his newborn up in it and thus the Cloth chose to save the little one's life."

"Wow," Francois said with a smile, "That's incredible, what a good guy Perotto was."

"Yes..." Frederic said in the space, thoughtfully tapping his chin, eyes gazing off into the distance, "but he ended up killing half his Brotherhood to get the Cloth in the first place."

"Oh," Francois said, his face falling.

"Traditionally, when it comes to personal issues verses the Creed and using Pieces of Eden; the Creed tends to win by default. However, I'm glad that in these trying times the reverse is more so true," Frederic said with a relieved smile, waving a finger up in the air, "We are not monsters yet!"

"Here, here," Ice Cream said, folding his arms cross his chest.

"And the child ended up hearing voices," Axe said, "A voice by the name of "Consus" stayed with him for the rest of his life. Normally I would also call that a load of toss, but Consus said that 'e were First Civilization. They tend to have an odd way of speaking to us down the ages."

"Don't they just!" Frederic laughed.

"But there is nothing in the Assassin's records of a Piece of Eden that resembled an _animal,_ correct?" Arno asked, gesturing to the lion statue.

Frederic paused but then shook his head.

"Anything in the Templar Records?" Green Coat suddenly asked, not sure why he was asking and not looking at Arno. That headache was not going away and seemed to be increasing the longer he stood there. Or the longer Frederic spoke, he wasn't sure which.

"....no," Arno said, slightly startled that Green Coat had asked him a question that was not laced with scorn or sarcasm.

"Do you think a First Civilization individual could be trapped inside the lion? Or using it to talk to us?" Alexina asked.

""It's possible," Frederic said, "But then, you've had it in your possession for years, right Ice Cream? And this is the first time it's 'spoken' ?"

Ice Cream nodded, slightly distracted.

"What happened to the baby?" Alexina asked.

"He grew up, had kiddies of his own and the end result is that laugh-a-minute bastard over there," Axe said pointing to Green Coat, "The baby was his, however many, Great-Grand Father."

 Green Coat was suddenly aware of the whole room looking at him. He offered a tight smile of annoyance, but it came out more of a grimace. He wished his skin wasn't growing hotter by the second. Great, that could only mean one thing. He was sick again.

"So...why are we assuming this is connected to a Piece of Eden?" Arno asked, feeling the answer to this Lion Statue's riddle on the fridges of his consciousness, "What if this is something that's never been seen before? Like Consus?"

"What are you getting at, lad?" Axe asked unfolding his arms and putting them on his hips as Francois and Alexina watched Arno, "You think this is like the Cloth?"

Green Coat stared at the lion. That odd feeling was coming back and growing as his skin increased in oppressive warmth. That same feeling he had when he was copulating with Ice Cream in the hidden garden just over a month ago. Something was pressing into his subconsciousness. He forcibly shook his head trying to dispel the feeling but only succeeded in making himself feel dizzy, stomach jolting and head pounding as the pressure began to build again.

_Through the fog of lust, Green Coat grunted as that feeling grew stronger and stronger the more he delved into his partner. A cool part of his brain mused it was identical to the time that the lion statue was near them. He lifted his sweat drenched head in between his grinding, looking around from under his shoulder length black hair for threats or some indication of where the feeling of being watched was coming from. But saw nothing but grass and the blurred out forms of trees. He felt his heart hammering against his chest along with Ice Cream's cries, and the feeling of something or someone watching them getting stronger and stronger and lights flashing in his eyes became brighter. A strange tingling sensation slowly started at the base of his skull. Suddenly he couldn't hear anything, time slowed and without warning that intense ecstasy sensation from his skull shot like a bolt of white hot lightning through is body and into his crotch._

Green Coat blinked the memory away, feeling his legs jerk slightly as the task of keeping him standing upright began to fail him. He didn't know if he wanted to vomit or fall asleep. The pressure was coming from behind him, like something was trying to get into his head. But that was ridiculous, so he kept his eyes on the events in front of him.

 "If what you say is true, then maybe this is alive," the Ex-Templar offered, "Not in the sense of you or me, but in the sense that it can hear and react."

Frederic nodded thoughtfully, "Correct me if I'm wrong, Arno but...until the Consus episode, neither the Templars, nor us Assassins, believed Pieces of Eden could talk to us directly and _constantly_ day in and out. Most of the time the pieces had a recording or some other message for the intended recipient. But that was just it, a message. This on the other hand, along with Consus, might be something very different. No, definitely, it is something different. The problem is now how do we deal with it..."

"So why the messages?" Francois asked, looking to Frederic and then to Ice Cream, "If so then...what is it trying to tell us?"

"A warning?" Arno offered, looking back at the subject of their conversation sitting on the table, "It's obviously trying to do something."

Lights began to explode in Green Coat's vision as the men continued to talk. Everything was so loud, why couldn't they all be a bit more quieter?

"You think it's telling us about the future?" Alexina asked again, moving out from between Ice Cream and Green Coat, "about the outcome of the Revolution?"

"If you think it's telling the future about the Revolution, then why the hell would we both," Green Coat grunted, feeling the girl move from between himself and Ice Cream, jolting him. Through the nearly now unbearable pain in his head, he limply indicated between himself and Ice Cream, feeling like his head was about to explode, "...why would we be hearing a heart beat?"

"And why would I be hearing the Latin word for Lake?" Arno asked with a shrug, before raising an eyebrow at his peer. Green Coat looked like was about to be sick. But before he could open his mouth to inquire if he was alright, Axe's voice called to him.

"You're not plannin' on going for a swim are ya, Arno?" Axe asked with a chuckle.

"Perhaps it was your own heart beats playing back to you both?" Francois offered hopefully, looking up at a slightly taller Ice Cream for approval.

"Maybe," Ice Cream said looking at the boy before biting his lip nervously.

"Ice?"

"Huh?" Ice Cream looked up, distracted from his thoughts at Axe's voice.

"You're the one who's owned this thing for the longest," Axe continued, nodding to the figure sitting innocently on the wooden circular table, "You said it hasn't done this speaking act before but 'as it done anythin' else apart from standing there like a lemon?"

"No, never," Ice Cream said, shaking his head, "It's never done anything-"

"But that's not true, is it?" Arno suddenly said, staring at the taller man.

The room looked at Arno and then at Ice Cream.

"Excuse me?"

Green Coat began to sway as his skull throbbed. He was dully aware he was becoming blind for all he could see were red and yellow lights swirling and dancing in front of him, invading his world.

"You had that Lion with you when those Templars attacked us on our way to get Francois," Arno said, pointing to the boy in question, his voice a bit more stern than he wanted.

Green Coat's vision began bursting into stars.

"-and when I was bound up, you brought something akin to that statue from a pocket and set fire to my metal bindings."

"...he-help..." Green tried to say but it came out a whisper that no one heard as the lights took hold, paralyzing him, and he could no longer see the room. His world was now a blur of shapes and odd geometric golden shapes.

"So you tell us, Ice," Arno said, still not taking his eyes off of Ice Cream, "What is this thing? Truly?"

Ice Cream looked at Arno then after a pregnant pause, down to his feet.

"Ice Cream?" Frederic asked, seeing the man breathing heavily, "Is it true? That this statue has behaved this way before?"

The ginger Lock Picker's eyes darted to the lion, then away and finally up to the ceiling before back to the room at large.

"It can put out fires, that's all I know," he said quickly, as if he was about to be shot at saying such a thing.

"How?" Arno said, leaning forwards. Something was not right.

"I don't know. It just can..." the ginger haired man said nervously, swallowing his rising panic, "I'm not sure how it works but... put it near a fire and it will move the flames away."

Green Coat swayed on the spot as something, that sounded like it was right behind him, growled deeply, the sound resonating through his bones.

"Hands up those who knew about this?" Arno said with a frown.

No one put their hands up.

"Ice Cream, why didn't you tell us?" Frederic asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

Ice Cream's face started to flush pink with stress, "...because," he said, wringing his hands, "For years, I was ordered if the subject ever came up, not to tell."

"By who?" Axe asked, frowning intensely.

"I...I-I..." Ice Cream stumbled, face now beat-red, "Forgive me, it sounds so silly and ridiculous that the order was given years ago, but force of habit keeps me from saying anything further. Forgive me, I was sworn to secrecy under pain of-"

"Are they in the building right now?" Axe asked, realization blossoming over his features.

Ice Cream nodded nervously.

Arno watched as Axe leaned back from the table, looked up at the ceiling where Ice Cream had gazed before nodding to himself. All watched him as he then walked over to Ice Cream, causing the Lock Picker to flinch.

"I will ask you again, Ice, so that Frederic can heard," Arno heard Axe say with a low rumble of authority, looking at the De la Vert Assassin and stopping in front of the copper haired man, eyes locked onto pained blue ones, " _Who_ gave you that order, all those years ago?"

Green Coat turned his head to the side to look behind him, having not the foggiest what anyone was talking about, and saw a blurred out white ghost figure with piercing blue eyes suddenly rush up to meet his face.

"Henri," Ice Cream whispered.

Suddenly Green Coat lurched forwards with a shout of fright and crashed into the table. The Lion statue flew up into the air as the table toppled over onto the floor along with Green Coat's limp figure. The lion statue hit the side of a bookcase, spun in mid-air before striking the wooden floor and skidding under a low table at the side of the wall opposite, disappearing out of sight and into the darkness.

"Green!" Ice shouted and rushed forwards, with Axe and Frederic quickly helping the fallen young man as Francois and Alexina lifted the table off of the fallen Assassin.

"Son, you with us?" Axe said, propping the man up and giving his face a few slaps.

"Green," Ice called softly, pushing some inky long hair away from his partner's face, "Green, can you hear us?"

Green Coat came too and blinked up at the world with a moan, sweat breaking out over his skin, looking up at the faces over him. His mind was clear but yet he felt like he had just run a marathon. But not just that. He had the distinct impression he had just caught someone spying on him from within his own mind and, in fright, the intruder had physically shoved him away. But that was impossible-

"Yeah, I'm fine," he mumbled as Axe slowly pulled him up to his shaking feet.

"Well, I think this concludes the evening's meeting," Frederic said before Arno noticed an item missing.

"Where's the Lion?"

Everyone looked to each other and then at the floor. Frederic spun on the spot, eyes scanning around him.

"Blasted thing must have gone under a chair or something; everyone have a good search, please!"

The younger members of the group wasted no time in getting down on hands and knees and the hunt began. Francois shuffled over to a nearby couch and Alexina joined him, looking under the opposite side.

"No, nothing here!" Francois called, before moving to the bookcase, peering under the narrow gap between it and the floorboards.

"Seriously, don't be pulling my leg," Axe said as he guided the green coated young man over to a wooden chair that Ice Cream was holding out, "You alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine, just..." Green Coat said with a touch of annoyance on his breath, then for the sake of wanting to be left alone added, "...just went dizzy..."

"Has he been sleeping?" Axe asked looking up at Ice Cream who was standing next to him, neck craned down with a concerned blue gaze to the sitting Assassin before them.

Ice Cream paused before he nodded.

Axe smirked, knowing why Ice had hesitated. He slapped Green Coat on the shoulder with a whispered, "As much as you can, sleeping next to your Love God, hey?"

Ice Cream smiled, slightly embarrassed, looking away as Green snorted and both watched as Axe joined the others in hunting for the statue.

"Go with them, I'm fine," the Lock Smith said looking up at his lover and weakly throwing a hand up to indicate the others.

Ice Cream looked at him with a worried look that didn't believe him.

"Seriously, I'm fine," Green smiled with snort, making Ice nod and join the search party.

Green Coat sat back in the wooden chair and rubbed his forehead, deep in thought and highly disturbed. His body felt exhausted. Like he had been running for hours and now was suffering from the crippling after-effects. His limbs felt stiff and weak. But that was nothing compared to his head. His brain felt like liquid and waves of tiredness crashed over him as he sat there hunched over, but were receding the more time progressed. He cough, shaking his head slightly, bracing himself for the wave of vertigo but it oddly didn't come. Clarity slowly came to him the longer he sat there, his mind was clearing but not as fast as his muscles. He looked up at the table he had hit and saw a scuff mark where he had impacted it. Green checked himself over, not sure which part of his body had hit the table. He felt his left shoulder and noticed it was slightly sore but nothing more. The Lock Smith cursed under his breath as he watched the others hunting for the statue. Well that was embarrassing, Green thought as he swallowed. Hitting into the table and passing out? What kind of coward did that? And besides, he definitely wasn't scared of that bizarre vision of a...of a....

"Bollocks," Axe huffed off to his left, dropping the edge of a sofa back down onto the floor with a loud thud, "Arno, check under the piano. Francois, light some more candles in 'ere, it's too feckin' dark."

"Yes, Sir!"

Green Coat looked over at where he saw the vision in white but found nothing. Only thin air were he had been standing. He dragged in a breath. He did not believe in ghosts. He did not. What ever he saw was the result of extreme tiredness-

_But you're not tired,_ a voice in his head pointed out to which Green Coat ignored. Yes, he was tired. He had imagined it. Those blue eyes. So clear they could be mistaken for diamonds... He had seem them before. On the lion in his night terrors. Was it the same thing? It had to be. Yes! That was it. He was tired and his imagination was playing tricks on him by re-living past nightmares and turning them into horrific day dreams.

Or was it?

Green Coat shut his eyes with a growl of his own. It was that Lion statue. It had done something to him. But the logical side of his brain couldn't believe it. How could a piece of rock cause him to see things and pass out? Then again, a voice said inside himself, how could a rock cause lights to dance across the ceiling and sky? Or to sounds like a heartbeat when he pressed his ear to it?

"Nothing here," he heard Ice Cream call, "Where could it have gone?"

It was doing, or was trying to do, something to him, Green Coat concluded, for argument sake, if the Lion could do such a thing. The fuck was that face he saw? Was it a hallucination? Was it, he hated to think, a ghost? Pff, there were no such things, he affirmed to himself again and again. There were no such things. There were no such things. There were no such things. Wait, was the Lion around him when he had those other odd events? Was it around when he and Ice were in the gardens? And what was that about a carriage and Templars attacking his lover and Arno? Is that how he broke his wrist? Ice hadn't said and-

Anger and tiredness welled up at Arno inside himself and Green Coat settled into a comfortable scowl, hidden by his cowl, glad that he could focus his frustration on something else that actually made sense. Yes, be angry at Arno, a voice called in his mind, almost literally, as Green Coat made to stand up. That is something you can actually make sense of. The humming from the lion? Was probably some scientific reason for it. Words in Latin? Your brain thinking it was that, trying to make sense of an odd sound. Put your ear to a sea shell and what are you told you can hear? The sea. Bollocks, you couldn't. It was just the hollow of the inside shell echoing back at you. Feeling more calm than he had done in the past few minutes, Green Coat put both his hands on his knees and went to stand up. There were no such things as ghosts. And rocks, like the lion, can not snarl or move on their own-

He stared.

For peeking out from under his chair was a tiny stone paw.

Which quickly retracted back under his chair.

Green Coat screamed something incoherent, jerking away from the chair and falling backwards onto his arse in a blind panic. He crawled backwards until his back hit a lower cupboard, making it rattle. He tried to get his erratic breathing under control as Francois dashed past him to retrieve the statue.

"It's here! Under Monsieur Green Coat's chair-"

"Get that fucking thing away from me!"

"Here, I'll take it," Arno offered, taking the statue from Francois and a nearby terror stricken Green Coat.

Green Coat could feel his heart hammering rapidly and painfully against his rib-cage. He looked up and saw Arno look at him oddly and with confusion, like he had literally gone mad. Green Coat numbly felt Ice Cream come over to him but it was all too much and thus after being helped to stand by his lover, he made up his mind.

"Good night, Gentlemen."

Ice Cream watched as Green Coat quickly walked past him in the candle lit room. The tanned coated Assassin caught Frederic's eye across the way, who nodded. The lock picker bid everyone a good night, went after his partner and out the door.

There was a silence before it was broken.

"What was that about?" Francois asked the others with a confused cock of an eyebrow, holding the harmless statue in his palm, nodding to the two men leaving.

"...Green...saw a mouse?" Arno said with a stiff smile making the teen look at him with a raised eyebrow. Arno was struck, suddenly, at how much the boy's face resembled Ice Cream in the dimly candle lit room but it wasn't long before the teen spoke, "Why is he over-reacting?"

"Well that statue _can_ talk, my boy," Frederic said with a dark chuckle, scratching his head, "Or hum if it so chooses-"

"Yes, but...it's done nothing to us, has it? Only spoken-"

"And that's normal to you?" Arno asked back at Francois, half joking.

"He's tired," Axe said loudly, looking at the lion in the boy's hands, "Candle light tends to make one see things. Probably thought it was moving-"

"So why did he fall into the table?"

"He's probably been pushing himself too much," Arno offered to the teen as the boy gave the lion statue over to him. But even though Green Coat could be over tired...he was still wondering why his peer had really screamed and smashed into the table, knocking himself out.

"It was like he'd seen a ghost or something!" Francois laughed with Alexina before a sharp whistle came from the doorway.

"Francois, Alexina, please follow me!" Frederic called as he began to exit, "Axe, I'll leave Arno and the Lion statue with you to go over tomorrow's Paris mission?"

"Sure thing, mate," Axe said putting a hand up as the elder Assassin ushered the two teenagers out of the room, before going over to the fallen chair and righting it.

"So, do I need to brief you on your mission?"

"Not really," Arno said palming the lion in his hand, "Go into town and observe the reaction of the crowd to the King and his family returning. With Green Coat."

"Aye, you're a smart cookie," Axe smiled with a laugh thumping him on the shoulder.

"Seriously, what was that about?" Arno said, gesturing to the table and chair, "And that cryptic warning this thing gave to Frederic?"

Axe paused before shaking his head.

"No idea-"

"Axe? Can I ask you to come here a moment?" Frederic's voice called from outside the room, to which which Axe shouted back he'd be there in a moment.

"Hand that back to me after I see what Fred wants, that thing," he said nodding to the lion, "is gonna be under house arrest from now on."

Arno nodded. He watched as the larger man exited before looking down at his hand with the lion lying harmlessly on his palm. He watched the shadows from the candle light flickering and dancing across the surface, making the contours of the statue shift and change, like it was moving. He pressed his finger to a leg and confirmed it was not moving. So odd, why was this thing "talking" to them? Could it be it was actually alive? Or some First Civilization trick? He put it to his ear and that sound returned.

_Larcus, Larcus, Larcus._

Although, if he was to turn the lion upside down, now it sounded like the name "Lucus." Well, one thing was for sure, it was no ordinary statue, Arno concluded as he took it away from his ear. If this was a Piece of Eden or something similar...why would it be threatening Frederic? 'Your death is my life?' Wait, Francois didn't say what it said to him...maybe it was like Axe and said nothing? No, wait, he said it was speaking Latin. A clock chimed on a nearby surface making the Ex-Templar look up. It was 2am. Time for some shut eye before he returned to the bizarre vibrating rock. He made a mental note to ask the boy later about what he heard. Arno looked again at his palm. Odd how Green Coat just suddenly collapsed and straight into the table, too. He wondered what would have happened if there was no disruption or if Green had fallen backwards, leaving the table unharmed. A funny thought came to him and he laughed at the statue.

"If I didn't know any better," Arno said, looking at the calm face of the proudly carved lion, "I would think you were trying to disrupt proceedings-AH!"

Arno dropped the statue, feeling like his fingers had just touched scolding hot water as the statue hit the floor with a thud. "What the..." he paused before he reached over and took a white cloth from the table at the side, carefully picking up the lion statue again. He turned it over to see if there were any cracks and paused. A faint wisp of steam was emitting over the surface of the smooth marble and the face was...snarling. It's tiny fangs bared and hollow eyes narrowed, frozen in time. He could still feel warmth from the stone through the cloth. Arno felt fear shudder down his spine. It was true. This thing _was_ alive. And pissed. Fear turned into anger as Arno narrowed his eyes, feeling the faint trace of terror at the unknown gliding over his skin, his grip on the statue increasing.

"Axe can't put you under house arrest fast enough," he said and before the statue knew it, he had stuffed it back into the leather tube, cloth and all, and buckled it tightly shut. Arno walked out of the room, tube in his shaking hands, to a waiting Axe before slapping the leather container into his waiting hand.

"That thing is bloody alive, it just tried to burn me."

Axe blinked.

"You what?"

"I touched it and it was like I'd put my hand into a furnace. Sounds crazy, but it _has_ to be a Piece of Eden."

Axe looked at him.

"You can't say I'm crazy after all that just happened-"

"No, no, not at all," Axe said in all seriousness, "I was curious when it was going to try and attack you."

Arno stared.

"Pardon me?"

"Frederic got a scold on his arm two days ago and this thing burnt me the other day. Normally I wouldn't think statues could do it, but I've changed me mind. Been changing me mind about a lot a' things lately..."

Arno offered a shocked look to which Axe waved his hand out dismissively.

"I kept it a secret that this thing had hurt me and Frederic as I didn't want to scare the others," Axe said before there was a very faint and dull thud from inside the leather tube.

Both men looked at the tube with the concealed cryptic item within.

"I think it's a bit too late for that," Arno said, looking up at his muscular leader before adding, "Makes me wonder what else you, Frederic and Ice Cream are keeping from the rest of us," he continued, hardness creeping into his voice.

"This is gonna be with Fred from now on," Axe whispered, ignoring him, "As far as I'm concerned, that lion ain't getting out of this tube. I shall inform Master Connor that we have a very angry and potential Piece of Eden or something to that effect. This thing is dangerous, which...I can't believe I'm actually saying, it's a piece of fucking rock!-"

"A piece of rock that can burn, snarl and make threats against Frederic."

"Aye," Axe whispered, "Let's not give it a chance to show us any more of it's party tricks."

"You think it wise for Frederic to hold onto it, considering the lion's message to him?"

"Fred asked to look after it, so I have little reason to doubt his request. Not the thing I would have wanted for myself, but an order is an order..."

"What about the eyes?"

"The diamonds?"

Arno nodded.

"Fred's got one and as for the other diamond eye, we'll talk about that when you and Green Coat get back tomorrow."

Arno nodded towards the dark hallway.

"Where's Francois and Alexina?"

"Fred is getting them to swear secrecy to what happened tonight. Green's bloodline along with the lion's mutterings. Parlor trick lights from a non-moving rock is one thing. But telling the entire Brotherhood that this rock can talk and burn at will is quite another."

Arno nodded before the last member of their team came to mind.

"What about Ice Cream?"

Axe paused, biting his lip.

"Me and Fred are gonna have a little word with him and that historic "order" he's been keeping tomorrow, after you and Green leave for Paris."

"...a talk with Henri?"

"It's looking like that," Axe sighed heavily, "You know... me and Fred have been tryin' to keep them away from each other, more so Henri away from Ice but...if Ice is keeping things from us, then I'm gonna have to jolt it out of him if Henri has still got a string on 'im. I see no other way-"

"You could just talk to him," Arno said bluntly. The more time progressed he found he was less forgiving to their Axe carrying leader. He was hiding things, along with Frederic and Ice Cream, today was proof enough and Arno was getting tired of the constant bullshit. Not only that but the talk he had with Ice Cream in the coach before the bandits got to them and what about Mr Blue Hat and White Feather? No one had spoken about him in a while. The only person in their four man team that was honest with him was a grumpy Green Coat.

"Green won't be happy."

"When is he ever?" Axe said to himself, looked at the leather tube and then up at the ceiling before settling his brown dark eyes on Arno, "I trust ya won't mention to Green that Ice is gonna have to met Henri while ya out?"

"For I do not wish to have my teeth punched out," Arno said before something came to him, "Anyway, what ever happened to the letters Henri wrote for Iris?"

"I still have 'em," Axe whispered, patting his top breast pocket, "Still in half a mind what to do with 'em."

"If Ice is over Henri, then give them to him," Arno said, "I mean it really is non of my business, but the quicker they sort out what ever the issue is, then the sooner we won't have to dance around the fact-"

"Ice has a lot of baggage, Arno. I thought I told you that?"

"Funny," Arno said, feeling anger welling up, "I'm getting the impression you don't want to tell me anything at all."

The two men looked at each other as the tension between them suddenly rose.

"You have a problem with that, Arno Dorian?"

Arno held his ground.

"Yes."

Axe watched him for a while, nodded thoughtfully, before looking down the main stairs into the foyer of the HQ and to the large main doors. He thumbed to it.

"Well, you know where the door is."

Arno stared before nodding slightly, gracefully backing down from the challenge, "My apologies, Axe. I fear I may also be over-tired...I only wish to help the Brotherhood as much as I can with the information I have. I feel I cannot make a sound judgement if I do not have all the facts presented fairly."

"Point taken. Frederic is senior to myself, so I'd recommend asking him for more information, if the current trickle of information I give to you and Green is not enough," Axe said moving closer to Arno, "I keep things to my chest for a number of reasons, which I don't have to justify to you boy, but I'll humor you anyway coz' I like you. Obviously being an Assassin is one of the reasons I'm rather secretive. The second is that Martial Law is coming which ain't gonna be a pretty sight so in the future either you shut up and do as I say," Axe said, pointing a finger at Arno who stepped backwards from the semi growling bear-man, "...or we're gonna have a problem. Also, you and Green ain't been getting on as fast as I'd hoped for-"

"Which is by no means a fault of mine," Arno said, trying to keep an angry frown from his face.

"True, but..."

"But?"

Axe stared at him for a long time before he opened his mouth.

"You _really_ wanna know more about what's gone on around 'ere? Everything?"

"With every fiber of my being."

"Then go to Paris with Green Coat and keep ya' noses clean. No fighting or bickering between the two of ya', you hear me? Report back and I promise by this time tomorrow you'll get ya' answers."

Arno narrowed his eyes in calculation towards Axe's words. He looked into those deeply set brown eyes and saw thinly veiled anger but he also saw honesty. And a couple of grey hairs peppering the man's dark brown beard. Arno mused. The man must be, what, in his late thirties, early forties? But, with a start, Arno noticed the man was looking more aged these days. He looked up and saw more grey hair in the man's long-ish hair. Either that was due to the stress of the Revolution or something else, like keeping four men together with two not seeing eye to eye, he didn't know. He nodding again accepting Axe's words, which, for now at 2:30am in the morning, was good enough for him.

"Understood, sir."

"Good, get a good sleep and see you tomorrow. Cheers for holding your rag for so long," Axe winked and the tension vanished.

The two men turned and began to walk their separate ways until Arno remembered something and turned around to see Axe continuing to walk away.

"So are you going to uphold your end of the bet?" Arno said loudly as the man reached the stairs and began to walk down them.

"What bet?" Axe yelled over his shoulder, descending the stairs at a jog.

"You know," Arno shouted over the banister, "the one where you said you'd dance the waltz if what Alexina said was true?"

~

"Green!" Ice Cream called but the man didn't stop. Green Coat was away from him and turning down the corridors fast. Ice Cream worried his brow. Vincent would always acknowledge him and this was the first time he was actively ignoring him. The taller man slowed and walked at a gentle pace as Green Coat vanished around a bend figuring the man wanted to get away and be alone. Plus he didn't have to ask where the younger man was heading; from the path he was taking, Green Coat was going back to their room. After a while, Ice Cream arrived at the white door to their mini-apartment and carefully entered. He looked over and saw the unusual and sad sight of Green Coat curled in a ball, in bed, Assassin's uniform on the floor.

The Lock Picker said nothing as he closed the door with a 'click' and softly walked over. He looked down and saw Green with his eyes open, staring into the far wall like he might burn a hole through it. Ice Cream went to open his mouth but stopped. He didn't know what to say or ask. Was he alright? No, obviously. Did he want to talk about it? Probably not, considering he didn't acknowledge him. Wait, was Green Coat angry? Angry that he had mentioned Henri? That he wasn't more forthcoming about the Lion? It was true, he had never heard it speak. But then he would never have believed that the lion could cause fire to move. He had always assumed it was something to do with the rock and what it was made out of. He would admit he knew nothing much of physics but had always assumed and blindly followed what ever Henri had said back then...old habitats die hard, it seemed. Ice Cream waited for Green Coat to make eye contact but it never came. Nodding, the Lock Picker turned to walk out of the room, leaving his lover to his privacy-

"I think I'm going mad," Green Coat said bluntly into the cold and dark air.

Ice Cream turned to look back at him.

"You and the rest of us. We all heard the Lion, Vincent-"

"That's not what I mean..."

"...then what?" Ice Cream asked gently.

"The lion..." Green Coat said, eyes never leaving the spot on the dark wall, "When the lion was on the table I...it sounds insane, Ice, but I swear something tried to get _into_ me..."

"What do you mean?" Ice Cream asked, walking over to light a candle.

"I don't understand...it's an odd feeling," Green Coat said, "Like someone's watching me but there is no one there. It's happened before. It started when Fred put the diamond into its eye. When we were looking up at the sky with the lights, I felt anger pouring into me. When we were in the gardens together, when I was inside you...I felt something briefly take over... When we were sitting by the window, with the lion on the ledge and I was thinking about us and our future... When you were all talking just now...I...I don't understand what's going on..."

 There was silence.

Ice Cream waited for him to continue, but only heard Green Coat turn over in bed to face him and sink further into the sheets. Ice Cream brought the candle over and placed it on the bedside table. He looked down and saw the light illuminating Green Coat's face. He stood there for a moment until he suddenly saw the tale tale signs of Vincent breaking as one of the man's hands was shaking, gripping the duvet. Without taking his Assassin uniform off, Ice Cream climbed straight into bed, wrapping his arms around a naked Green Coat securely. The man didn't respond for the briefest of seconds before Vincent wrapped his arms around his lover in a vice, pressing his head into the man's tanned coated chest, clinging onto him for dear life. Neither said anything as the young man shook in the elder's arms, sobbing in fear. Ice Cream kissed his forehead and whispered soothing words, but Green Coat couldn't stop crying even if he wanted too.

"I don't believe in ghosts..." Green Coat croaked in between his sobs, "I don't, believe Ice, I don't...I...I..."

~

The next day Arno stood in the entrance hall as the morning sun beamed warmly through the tall stain glass windows and onto the marble floor in front of him. He gazed down and flicked his wrists back, seeing his well oiled hidden blades shoot out and then snap back with a "snick". Good, they were still in working order. Green Coat hadn't checked their weapons over in a while and Arno had been concerned that rust would start its terrible work in jamming the mechanism up. But, upon strapping his weapons to his body and arms, he noticed that they were well oiled. Must be another Assassin, he mused as he re-adjusted his supply pouch at his hip. He heard footsteps and looked up at the grand staircase. He saw Green Coat, in full Assassin attire, walking down them slowly with Ice Cream standing at the top most step, carefully watching the man's progress. Arno nodded to the tall Assassin, who smiled sadly. Arno frowned internally. Why did Ice look sad? But Arno got his answer straight away as Green Coat walked up to him with puffy red eyes. He wasn't completely sure, but his face, even hidden under his cowl, had the tell-tale signs of someone who had been heavily crying.

"Good morning," Arno said, taken aback at the man's appearance, to which Green Coat nodded and repeated the sentence back to him in a subdued voice. The Ex-Templar wondered if he should ask what the matter was but looking back at Ice Cream and upon seeing the ginger haired man mouth "it's alright", Arno kept his mouth shut. They both moved into the mess hall for breakfast and ate in complete silence as a dozen other Assassins talked loudly around them. Arno had tried to get a conversation started but Green Coat looked like he was about to break down the further he ate his meal. Mercifully, Francois saw them both and came over, sitting next to him, chatting away animatedly to them both about the training Axe and Frederic were going to put him and Alexina under, oblivious to Green Coat's mood. Arno mentally thanked the boy for his distraction as they spoke, as Green Coat was left to his thoughts. After a quick meal of oats and bread, with a refreshing cup of water, the two men made their way to the stables to grab their horses. Francois waved them off and Arno waved back. He noticed Green Coat didn't return the favor.

"Well that was rather rude," Arno remarked as the two horses rounded a corner and began their journey to Paris, looking at Green Coat on the other brown horse, hunched over, face hidden in his green cowl, "...not saying goodbye to Francois, he was only being kind," then added as an after thought when he got no reply, "I still can't get over how much he looks like Ice Cr-."

Green Coat kicked his horse and the beast began to gallop away.

_"Then go to Paris with Green Coat and both of you keep ya noses clean. No fighting or bickering between the two of ya', you hear me?"_

"No promises, Axe," Arno muttered under his breath as he too kicked his horse and the animal galloped after the other. An hour later, the two men, having tied their horses up in a nearby woods, entered into the main city of Paris. The crowds were heaving, the smells were over-powering and the further into the center they went the more dangerous the world seemed to become. A couple of alleyways they had to turn back around in as the sheer amount of people gathering and people begging them for food or money made it impossible to progress. Up on the roofs they went, but upon seeing a few heavily armed sentries, both climbed back down into the streets to take their chances. Arno had tried twice to strike up a conversation but the other kept silent as the hours rolled past. Twice Arno had agreed to himself that he wasn't going to bother anymore. And yet twice more, he tried again. What was that saying? Take a horse to water but you can't make it's stubborn green arse talk to you? And Green was indeed a suborn horse. Arno continued to muse to himself as they followed the rumors of where the captured King Louis was to pass by in his carriage. They walked down another grey and smoke filled street, believing it to be another and three times they became hopelessly lost.

"From the amount of destruction, and make shift blockades, I think it's a safe bet to say our map is out of date, hmm?"

Green Coat didn't knowledge him. Instead he kept his dark and bloodshot eyes fixed firmly on the square and tanned map in his gloved hands, holding it so close to his face Arno doubted the man was actually looking at it.

"Here, give the map to me, Green."

Silence.

Arno's anger began to bubble, but he kept it in check for Axe's sake. True he didn't want to start a fight but how on earth was he meant to finish a mission with a man that wasn't talking to him? In past missions he had Ice and Axe acting as a buffer to speak to Green, but now when it was just the two of them...

Arno saw the man look at the map upside down and then take off down a side street without so much as a warning. The Ex-Templar resisted rolling his eyes or letting a breath of exasperation out. True, Green Coat's natural tendency towards him was still being hostile but ever since he passed out last night, he had not said many words. He was timid even. Green didn't even say goodbye to Ice Cream as he descended the stairs and ate in the mess hall. Something was most definitely up and different this time. Was it what the Lion was saying to them? The threat to Frederic? But, argh, how to get the man to talk?! He even wondered if getting Green Coat drunk would help.

As both twenty-two year olds progressed to the main square, they began to hear more credible rumors that the King was to pass by with his family soon. The blue coated Assassin tried three more times to get the other to talk back to him as they set up their positions. But Green Coat acted like the man wasn't even there. A couple of times Arno lost him in the crowd and had to jump up onto a nearby tiled roof to spot him again. At last, after two hours of getting no where, there was a commotion. The King was on his way. Arno, having given up staying by Green Coat's side, perked up from his position squatting on a wooden post, seeing two carriages in the distances approaching. He jumped down into the crowd and made a B-line for Green Coat, seamlessly blending into the crowd as they all looked at the main road and when he arrived, his peer didn't even look at him.

"King is on his way."

Silence from Green Coat.

"This is quite an easy mission, wouldn't you say? Watch how the people of Paris react to their King returning, after failing to flee the country and report back."

Silence from Green Coat again.

"I don't think either of us could break a sweat if we tried to on this mission."

Silence.

"I think Axe is pulling our legs."

Silence.

"So what have I done this time?"

Silence.

"You're not seriously going to keep up this foolish act are you?"

Silence.

Arno snapped.

"So I hear you burnt down the original HQ."

Green Coat didn't move for long time but then very slowly turned his head to Arno who, with a start, saw the man's eyes were still red and puffy.

"You're wondering who told me, are you not?" Arno said, trying with all his might to keep a smirk from his lips, ignoring a voice in his head chastising him for betraying Ice Cream's trust.

The two stared at each other.

Green Coat looked up and down at his peer before scoffing with smile, turning away.

"Go fuck yourself."

Arno let the smirk rule his face under his blue cowl. He'd got a response. Even if it was a rather rude command. But that was enough for now as a few seconds later a great hush fell over the crowd of more than a thousand. The royal carriage arrived. Two wooden, large and amazingly decorated carriages, pulled by four horses arrived into the square, on their way to which ever building the King and his family were going to be kept prisoner in. Where as he had expected jeering and hollering, there was utter silence. A chill ran down both Assassin's necks as the crowd, united in their shared hatred and awe of the royal family's humbling, stared. Arno looked up and saw the huge stone statue of King Louis' father had a blind fold over it's eyes. Not even the King's own father could look at him. Two boys were sitting on the sides of the statue with one boy having climbed up to the top, he being the one responsible for tying the cloth around the statue's eyes. They boy's face, no more than ten, was hard and covered in dirt. His expression told Arno everything about the people's reaction to King Louis return to Paris. It was pure hatred at being betrayed. Silence that conveyed untold loathing and contempt. It was palpable on his skin and Arno could swear he was tasting it in the air. The Ex-Templar suddenly wanted to break out laughing as he realized Green was reacting to him in exactly the same way. Given him silence as a way of saying he hated him. But obviously a different type of hatred. He hadn't betrayed Green Coat's trust, if there was any trust there at all. And, last time he checked, he hadn't run out on his country or people-

No wait.

He had.

He was half Austrian and had been initiated into the Austrian Templars before he left them to join the French Assassins.

He smiled to himself.

How ironic.

Arno saw movement next to him and saw Green Coat make to leave, pushing his way through the silent crowd. The fellow twenty-two year old looked back at the carriage briefly before weaving his way through the crowd in Green's wake. Reporting back to Axe was easy and part of the Ex-Templar wondered why the man had even sent them both out in the first place. Until it hit him that he was keeping Green Coat distracted while Ice Cream was meeting his ex-husband. Well, now _that_ would get a reaction, Arno mused as he saw Green Coat skulk down an empty alleyway, a cat meowing and darting off to the side, getting out of the way as smoke rose from the drains. However, reporting back in was the last thing on Arno's current mindset. He had cracked Green's shell and, with no Axe or Ice Cream around, the other man was fair game. Hmm, didn't Ice Cream say not to mention to Green Coat that he and Axe had been hunting a man with a Blue Hat and White Feather?

"It's strange not seeing the once proud Bastille there," Arno said offhandedly as they passed a workshop quarry of heavy stones, probably from the dismantled Bastille, he honestly didn't know.

Green Coat kept walking, hands deep in his outer pockets.

"Seems like a life time ago we stormed that... I do wonder who compromised us, though, towards the end," Arno mused loudly as he caught up and walked next to his fellow Assassin, "I thought for the longest time it was Mrs Breton, but I believe it might have been someone else, can you think who it was Green Coat-?"

Green Coat rounded on him.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?"

Arno stopped and carefully studied the man before him. His face was under his green cowl, as was his under his own blue one, but Green Coat's pewter colored eyes were bright, full of anger and...wait, was that fear?

"Pardon me?"

"For me to snap and take a swipe at you."

Arno held out his hands in an invitation, momentarily distracted by being faced with a Green Coat that looked like he couldn't decide if he wanted to be angry or scared.

"I cannot stop you if you so desire. Besides, I seem to recall we never finished our little roof-top dispute."

There was a familiar pause before the shorter Assassin shook his head.

"No," Green Coat said, looking at him with disgust, "You're not worth my time."

Green Coat turned around and began to walk away.

"Indeed, run Green Coat."

The man kept walking, ignoring him, and Arno wondered if he should call Green Coat by his true name. Vincent was it, Mrs Breton had accidentally told him? But as he watched, Arno made up his mind.

"Enough of this," Arno said, running up to the other man and quickly grabbing Green Coat's arm.

The Lock Smith spun back around and made to grab Arno's arm but with his hands in his pockets, he was hindered and the other was ready. There was a slight scuffle before Arno managed to push Green Coat up against a wet and dirty stone wall, pinning him there using his full body weight.

"Why do you hate me so much?!" Arno growled, shoving the dark haired man against the wall again, his fists into balls of Green Coat's upper jacket, "Why?!"

"Is it not obvious?" Green Coat growled trying to meekly wiggle out of Arno's grip. The Ex-Templar began to wonder, in a cool part of his brain, if Green Coat wasn't at full physical capacity. His grip on Arno was not as powerful as he knew it could be, and the man was faintly shaking. Was he sick again?

"No. Never has been. So enlighten me, _please_ ," Arno said as he saw Green Coat stop struggling and stare at him.

"I hate you," Green Coat said that came out as a pathetic whisper, eyes red and still blood shot. Arno was momentarily confused. The man looked like he was about to break down crying again, not throw a punch at him if he let go.

"Why?"

Green Coat began again to try and break the hold Arno had on him, and Arno felt the man's limbs were oddly not obeying him.

"Why?!" Arno said a bit louder, shoving Green more against the unforgiving stone wall, knowing he had the upper hand-

"Quickly, down this road!" a voice off to their right said. Both men looked over and saw three women jogging down the alley way, holding their dresses at the knees with a hand on their white hats.

Green Coat took the opportunity, collected as much might as he could muster and shoved Arno away from him. Arno let Green push him away before both men stood in a trance as the women ran past them to the sounds of...

Drums.

That were getting louder.

Both men, without speaking and the fight long forgotten, jogged over to the end of the street where the women had come from. Green Coat and Arno peeked out from the side of the crumbling brick wall to see a sight they were not expecting.

Guards.

Hundreds of them. All being led by an angry looking man on a tall white horse who was trying to corral the throng of celebratory revolutionary towns folk into a corner of the secluded courtyard. Men, women and children backed away from the guards, the men moving in front to confront the threat.

"You are hereby ordered to disperse from this illegal gathering!"

"Says who?!" a male voice called out from the crowd.

"The National Guard!" The man bellowed, his guard uniform glittering radiant gold in the sunlight, "Leave or we shall open fire!"

"Can't you see we are unarmed?" One man, wearing a red hooded hat with a cockade pinned to it, shouted, "You won't fire on us-"

"Care to make a bet, Monsieur?" The guard shouted before ordering his horse to turn around, seeing all the guards now inside the courtyard. The guard lifted his sword and the men took aim.

"I'm giving you one last chance! Disperse or I shall open fire! That is an order!"

"Who gives you the right?!" a woman screeched from the crowd, angrily breaking from the ball of people and storming up to the man on his horse. She picked up a rock and hurled it at the man, who put his hand up, shielding his face.

"Last chance!" the man shouted, "Disperse or we shall open fire!"

"Oh my God," Arno said, looking around wide eyed, "He was right."

"What?" Green Coat said timidly, slightly annoyed, not looking at Arno, "Who was right?"

"The only way you can make us leave is on the end of a bayonet!" another man shouted, encouraged by the woman's bravery, his revolutionary badge of honor flapping from his breast pocket as he ran up to the white horse. He jabbed the pole he was carrying, a flag of blue, white and red sailing from the top of it, in one hand, towards the guard and tried to yank the military commander off of his horse. But the guard kicked him away, followed by a well aimed kick at the woman. More stones flew into the air and rained down on the army, who backed away slightly. The man on his high horse lifted his sword up into the air.

"On my command!" The general in the courtyard shouted as the crowd started to panic.

"Axe, he was right," Arno said as the guards across the square lowered their guns at the unarmed towns folk, "We're under Martial Law-"

"FIRE!"

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Please pardon the long delay in updating, this was due to work commitments.
> 
> History Lesson:  
> The time is now roughly June 1791. The scene in which Arno and Green Coat witness the King's return in utter silence was a genuine event. The reason for the silence? It all boiled down to the fact that King Louis said one thing and meant another.  
> During the start of the Revolution, he publicly stated that he supported it. However, this was only under the impression that he would still be King by the end of it. When this turned out not to be true, and having given up trying to re-establish his authority in Paris, he secretly planned to run across the boarder to Austria and then have foreign armies invade. But he and his family were caught and sent back to Paris in utter shame at having tried to get an invasion on his people started. The public, seeing it with their own eyes, now knew, once and for all, that their King was a traitor and were stunned into silence.
> 
> Martial Law was then ordered through-out Paris. A few months later, a petition was launched to try and dethrone the King. Many people came into the Champ de Mars square to sign it but were met by an armed officer, Lafayette, and his army, who ordered that they leave. (Lafayette was sympathetic to Louis and saw that the bumbling and Naive King was being manipulated by those around him.) The towns folk left, only to come back in greater numbers. Lafayette warned them again to leave but the people then began throwing stones at the guards and suddenly the order to fire was given and the Champ de Mars Massacre began.
> 
> For story reasons, these two events are happening side by side in this chapter.
> 
> The Lion Statue has finally begun reacting. And it's so much fun (and damn creepy) to write!
> 
> Also, this story began almost one year ago! :O How time flies~


	29. A Betting Man's Game: Part Two.

~

"RUN!"

Arno and Green Coat both jerked away from the corner of the brick building, scrambling into a sprint as a barrage of shots and screaming erupted from the courtyard behind them. Gun fire and explosions peppered the air as the men ran flat out through the smokey alleyway with the women in front. But as they caught up with said women, Arno realized they were going to be slowed down by their pace. The Ex-Templar looked up and visually tried to map a way up to the safe rooftops and away from the swelling crush as yelling and panicked towns folk flooded into their tiny alleyway from the side streets and from behind.

"This way!" Arno shouted over his shoulder and, thankfully, Green Coat followed.

The two men jumped up onto a large wooden cart and clambered onto a shop's red and thick calico canopy, grabbing at metal pipes and hurling themselves upwards. Green Coat managed to haul himself up onto a balcony, his leather gloves taking the force of his hands racking themselves up the closed wooden slats of a window pane, boots knocking against brick work as he finally reached the tiled roof above. Despite himself, he looked back to see where Arno was and was met by smoke wafting into his face with small pops and crackles. The guards had seen them. One was hurling a bottle, that was on fire, which smashed onto the floor below him. Flames roared up the side of the wall and Green Coat recoiled from the heat below. Arno was no where to be seen. A small part of him, that some might call concern, blossomed hesitantly in his chest. He was about to call out when an gloved hand came down from above.

"Up here!"

Green Coat looked up, ignored his idiotic pride who demanded he slap that hand away and tell Arno to piss off, because he knew that if he listened then it would be suicide. He angrily shouted down that voice in his head that this was no time for his pride to start complaining. Their lives were in danger. The mental gates opened and he allowed more adrenaline into his system. He took the hand and Arno pulled the Lock Smith up onto the roof, safely away from the guards below.

Both men didn't have time to talk as silently they agreed; they had to escape.

Letting that previous pride-induced-anger take over at taking a literal helping hand from Arno, Green Coat raced ahead, his limbs moving as fast as he could work them. He numbly noticed that his earlier stupor of depression had lifted a bit, whether this was the result of adrenaline, anger or the threat of death, he didn't know. But he welcomed the distraction all the same. Truth be told, the fear and confusion at what he saw before he passed out at the "ghost", had been leaking away from him the longer he and Arno had been outside on their mission. It came back when the man had slammed him up against the wall, but in fact, it shook him out of his mindset for the briefest of moments before their current situation took over. Green Coat begrudgingly thanked his team mate for the jolt but that didn't explain why the hell Arno knew about his accidental burning down of the original HQ. Maybe he was wrong and Arno was merely referring to the apartment HQ that went up in gunpowder? His gut told him it was the former. So who told him? Axe? Frederic? Perhaps, he hated to think it, Ice Cream?

Green Coat's thoughts all balled together in his mind as a huge gap came up, separating his roof from the one ahead and he went for it. Shoving all the questions he wanted answers too into that mental ball of simmering rage, he ran fast, hard and threw himself off the edge. He sailed gracefully as tiles from his launch fell into the street below and, at the last moment, purposely turned in mid air so his body hit the roof, causing minimal damage to his legs and person impact. He got up and continued running, hearing Arno copy his leap and landing, tiles smashing.

He felt on fire. Alive and oh so King of his World, up here near the clouds. He didn't care that his emerald cowl was off his head as his shoulder length black hair whipped behind him, breathing hard, dragging in air as he jumped again and again over gaps, chimneys and ropes nimbly. This is what he lived for. What Axe and Frederic had trained him for all his life. His paralyzing fear of ghosts that had crippled him and sent him, literally, crying into the arms of his lover last night, seemed to almost vanish. The funk that had descended and terror struck his muscles, seemed rather insignificant now. Here he was free. Up here he made the decisions. Free from responsibilities that others had fashioned for him. Up here his bloodline didn't matter in making his body perform to prime standards.

He ran and ran, jumping, pushing off walls and chimneys, Arno not far behind, as he saw the Palace of Versailles far off in the distance, the Royal Palace HQ building; a hazy blue and tiny square next to it. A smile came to his face as he ran, planning the best area to stop and rest up ahead as the guards must have given up by now. He beamed to himself as the realization that years and years of training had paid off. _Look idiot_ , he thought smugly as he heard Arno wheezing from a jump behind him, _Look what the Assassin's can raise. Look what being born into the Creed means!_ _You can't buy this level of skill. Stupid Templars and their idiotically soft ways_. _What do people ever see in the Templars anyway?_ _Bunch of idiots, the lot of them._

He continued to sprint as he looked over his shoulder and smirked as he saw Arno running after him, when the man's face changed. Arno's eyes went wide. He shouted something at Green Coat but the Lock Smith couldn't hear him. _What is that buffoon mumbling now?_ His ego moaned before he realized the sounds around him were dimming. His world was becoming more and more silent, the further he sprinted, sounds dulling like he had plunged himself underwater. A cold shiver began to seep into his bones, overriding his adrenaline, that fear coming back. He knew this sensation. Knew it all too well. It had come to him when he was mating with Ice Cream in the gardens under the Sky Lights and again and again multiple times throughout the past year and lastly just before he passed out into a wooden table. But before he could begin to slow down and register the best way to deal with it, he looked up, seeing the Palace of Versailles again. Suddenly he saw a tiny flash of light from the direction of Versailles, like a reflection. He stumbled as his world went dizzy as something pressed, panicked, against his psyche-

BANG!

Arno looked up in time to see Green Coat's body slam into the side of a terracotta chimney which smashed with a sickening force. Shards of what was once the chimney, scattered across the roof like bread crumbs. The limp Assassin slid down the side of the roof with them, a bright and vivid blood trail smearing across the tiles. Without thinking, Arno ran and hurled himself forwards, hitting the hard roof with his chest and slid down the side, grabbing at his fellow Assassin with both hands. Green Coat came too with a jerk and cried out as Arno caught him by the shoulder pads.

Arno grunted loudly as he pulled his team mate up and over the guttering, gloved fists in green fabric. Arno dragged his team mate across the roof and to behind a taller stack of chimneys, shielding them both from any further attacks. He began to assess what had happened. Arno tried to ignore the faint screaming in the streets below and behind them, from the hapless towns folk as the National Army set upon them, chasing the people down the streets with horses baying. He pushed Green Coat up into a sitting position, his back against the wall, checking the groaning man's chest, neck and head, trying to find where the blood was coming from. Green Coat had his eyes clamped tightly shut, teeth clenched, trying to drag pained breathes in and out as blood continued to drip down his face and into his eyes and mouth.

Green Coat whined, and for a second, Arno thought the man had been blinded, as he pressed a hand to the young man's head.

"ARGGH-GET-OFF-ME!" Green Coat ground out, trying to fight Arno off limply.

"I'M TRYING TO HELP!" Arno shouted back, slapping the limp hand away and brushed the long dark hair away from Green Coat's face and forehead until he found the source. A huge gash had dashed across the right side of Green's forehead. He carefully felt there with his gloved fingertips but found no exposed bone. Tilting the man's head into the light, he double checked his assessment. Green Coat was extremely lucky. The bullet had only grazed the man's temple, leaving nothing more than a hideous trail of destruction. But that didn't mean there were no nasty aftereffects he couldn't see presently. Concussion and shock came to mind, but he jerked down as he heard a bullet hit into a stack of pipes nearby. They had to get out of here. To a safe house. Arno reached into his pouch at his waist and brought out a cloth and small bottle of iodine, splashing some of the yellow liquid onto it, before shoving the bottle back into his pouch.

"Think happy thoughts, Green, this is gonna hurt-"

"FUCK-FUCK-ARGH!"

Arno continued to pressed the cloth to the man's wound, grabbing at a hand that was trying to fight him off.

"PRESS!"

The young man finally did as he was told.

Green Coat continued to grit his teeth, whining with the pain as he held the cloth to his right temple and chanced opening up an eye, and gave Arno a mixed look of fright and curiosity.

"Gunshot graze! You'll live!" Arno shouted above the increasing noise in the street below, "Come on, let's get out of here, before your luck does!" and began to pull the man up to standing.

Green Coat cried out as he was moved, before forcibly shutting his mouth. If someone was trying to kill him, he didn't want to give them the pleasure of knowing where he was. He leaned on Arno, hand pressed to his face and the other around Arno's shoulders, steadying himself.

The Ex-Templar looked off at the distant Palace of Versailles on the horizon, supporting a heavily breathing Green Coat. He looked back to the wheezing man and knew they wouldn't make it back tonight. He had to rest and be treated before they could attempt to return to the HQ. But where to go? He needed to get Green to a doctor before the man went into shock. Or that possible concussion took effect. A building off to his left caught his attention. It was a burnt out shell, the fire that had once ravaged it long gone. A sign, that had once proudly adored the front of the store was chard and Arno could just about make out the name.

"Francois Bakery," he muttered to himself. Then, like being struck with lightening, Arno knew where to go.

The tavern.

Mirabeau.

Arno shuffled them both near to the edge, praying that Axe's brother-in-law was still living at the tavern and evaluated the scene below. Most people had fled. Bodies of men and women were slumped over in the streets and groans of the wounded almost sounded like a horrific symphony. With Green's own anguish threatening to join in. Arno looked up at the skyline and quickly peeked out from the stack of chimneys they were behind. The young Novice looked around to see any sign that they were still being followed, grabbing a handful of moss. He threw the lump of moss from the side, out onto the naked roof and waited. Nothing. Who ever shot at Green was long gone. Arno double checked it was safe and then looked back to the burnt out building. He began to walk forwards, helping Green Coat, who continued to press a hand to his head with the smelly iodine cloth.

"Come on," Arno said, pulling the man to move faster, "I know a safe house."

~

Ice Cream walked casually across the corridor, his thigh high boots softly thumping along the red carpet under his long tanned coat with Camille in a pale blue dress, walking along side. She was holding her toddler son on her hip, who was chewing on a large wooden play-block. They had finished taking lunch together, thanked Mrs Breton for the meal, telling her she didn't have to worry about them. The old woman had waved them off, saying she could handle looking after the Assassin's food stores. But both Ice and Camille noticed she was looking more strained these days and were having their doubts. Now, with Francois and Alexina being the heads of a small band of children, that came from God knows where, both were scared that the unflappable Mrs Breton looked like she was about to crack.

Ice Cream inquired about the progress of the Revolution for which Camille, having nothing other to do than tending to her son, had been reading newspapers and correspondence about. She filled the Lock Picker in up to the latest developments and changes to the nature of the Revolution. Ice Cream listened intently, nodding his head, particularly at the women's movement and bill of rights that had been proposed. Prussia were increasing their threat towards France, Paris in particular, with Austria and England not far behind in wagging warning fingers at the turbulent country.

The toddler in Camille's arms suddenly threw the wooden block with a giggle, but like lighting, Camille caught it, tsk-ed and offered it back to her son with the words, "Play nice, my love."

Ice Cream laughed softly at the young boy's antics. "Wait till Frederic gets him into mechanics," he chuckled to which the woman laughed with a jovial look of horror, shaking her head, long brunette hair flowing down her shoulders and back that when that day came she might as well give her son over to Green Coat.

"Boys and their toys, right?" she sighed, "But, for now, we don't have to worry," she continued, tickling her son, who gurgle with delight.

Ice Cream felt a memory pull at him but he let it pass by. Her son had grown so much since he came back from collecting Francois. Ice Cream couldn't tell who the boy was destined to look more like; Camille or Frederic. Plus, he swore every time he saw Camille and Frederic's son he seemed bigger than the last time. He had inquired as to the little boy's name but Camille said that it was to be announced at the meeting Master Connor was due to lead.

"A surprise," she winked and then confessed, "...actually we have a couple of names but we can't decide on which one. Typical new parent problems...by the way, how's your wrist?"

Ice Cream lifted his white cast up to inspect it, moving his fingers. He noticed a few stains of where he had dropped food and drink onto it and a couple that documented his love making with Green Coat.

He coughed, a flush of embarrassment warming his face, as the scent of lavender came to him.

"Better. I have a few more days to go then it can come off."

"I bet you'll be glad when it's gone."

"Indeed. The itching is starting to drive me round the bend."

"You think it will be gone by the time Master Connor arrives?"

"That is the golden question," Ice Cream said, suddenly remembering he lost a bet with Camille on the gender of her child. The number of sous he had bet, he couldn't recall. But his gut told him it was a hell of a lot more than currently residence on his person. The Lock Picker wondered if he should bring up the subject now, feeling his wallet light against his hip-

"I won't charge interest on the bet," Camille said with a knowing smirk.

Ice Cream barked out a surprised laugh. She wasn't a high ranking Assassin for nothing.

"Thank you, Camille, I'm a little short presently."

"Actually, I need help more than money right now, with this little gentleman," she said kissing her son's head, "Mind if I be rather cheeky and cash in on that bet with physical help? You can refuse, I know that changing the odd nappy is not one's idea of a pleasant time."

Ice Cream made a face of consideration and then nodded. He was a man of his word and would do right by his bet. He didn't want to say it, but the woman looked drained.

"If you could look after him for a few hours that would be great. I miss this thing called...oh, what's that word?" she wondered dramatically, "when you close your eyes in bed...oh! Sleep. I would ask Mrs Breton but you've seen how tied up with things she is. The other Assassins I don't really trust."

"No other young mothers?"

"Nope just myself. And thank you for adding in that I'm young, Ice Cream, I do appreciated it."

Ice Cream patted her on the back warmly.

"You're as young as you feel, Camille."

"Oh, don't say that, I feel about ninety! Got a couple of grey hairs to prove it."

Both Assassins laughed before a comfortable silence fell.

"Seriously, though, you're not too busy with the Salmacis business?"

"No," the Lock Picker said with a sigh, "...the plans keep changing so I'm waiting for Master Connor's orders. No offense to your husband."

"None taken. I love Fred but that doesn't mean he never gets on my tits."

Ice Cream laughed. He was grateful to call someone like Camille a friend.

The conversation continued on with Master Connor and what could be holding him up. It was true, when Master Connor was meant to show up, neither knew. Previously they had both heard a storm, probably hail, up north had hindered his progress. So any day the Assassin's in the Parisian HQ of Versailles expected their ultimate leader to arrive.

"Hmm, Green and Arno are taking their time..." Ice Cream said, looking out of the window as they walked slowly.

"Typical men," Camille chuckled, then nodded between them both, "Keeping us women waiting-" before she paused and realized with horror what she had done, "Oh, I'm sorry Ice, I didn't mean-"

Ice Cream put a hand up.

"I know you did not mean to offend. I am in the unique position of both being able to be offended and being the offender," he smirked, "But I'm curious about this bill of rights, considering women can't vote. If it came to voting, then I can...just so long as the application process does not require me to remove my briefs."

Both adults laughed and the air cleared of any accidental insults.

"Must be nice though," Camille said, a finger-knuckle now being chewed by her son in her arms, "To wear what you want, go where you want and not have the guards or morally-just-folk take issue...I did entertain the idea of disguising myself as a man at one time, but with these knockers," she said nodding to her large and milk filled breasts.

"Would be a bit difficult to pass," Ice Cream added.

Camille began laughing, "Now if I was to have your rock hard abs, then well, half the battle is won!"

Ice Cream smiled, highly amused, looking down at his coated chest, "Took me a fair few years to get them to that. I would be lying if I said it wasn't an uphill struggle but I'm glad you're 'envious' of my so called 'rock hard abs'.

"You're lucky, Ice," Camille sighed wistfully, "You get to choose which side to play for."

"I wouldn't say that...I just had the advantage of not being told which side of the playing field I belong on when I was born," the Lock Picker said before a stark memory came to him, "Thank you, Camille, for taking care of me when-"

"Oh, no need to, twas a walk in the park."

"I apologize if I caused anyone concern or stress."

"Fred's a good caregiver, I knew he could bring you back to health," before she hefted her son higher up onto her hip where he was slipping, "I was just more concerned that Vincent was going to bother you-"

"Excuse me?" Ice Cream asked as they walked, tilting his head in confusion.

"You don't remember?" Camille asked, looking at him.

Ice Cream shook his head, coming to a stop in the middle of the empty corridor.

"When you came to us, or rather when Frederic brought you back to our apartment all those years ago, I was caring for Vincent in the kitchen at the time."

Ice Cream stared wide-eyed. Wait, did that mean he and Green Coat really had met when he was nineteen? After being found in that alleyway by Frederic?

_"How long were you with Frederic?" Green Coat asked, frowning, an idea coming to him._

_"Why do you want to know?"_

_Green Coat scoffed a laugh._

_"...it may seem far-fetched but perhaps our paths have crossed before..."_

"What, Green Coat was there? Wait, wait, how old was he?"

"Hmm, I'd say about three years old," Camille said, looking up in memory, "He could walk and talk. Devil of a time I had trying to keep him away from the room where Fred was treating you."

Ice Cream frowned, utterly confused as Camille blinked.

"You didn't know Vincent was with us?"

_"What?" Ice cream said sitting up on his elbows._

_"Frederic was my guardian for many years, Ice Cream," Green Coat said, scratching his head, "Him being British, I met many people in that time, here in France and in England, many Assassins-"_

_"You think we've," the lock picker said, unconvinced, motioning a finger between them, "...met before?"_

_"I don't know, you tell me. I was a small child."_

 Ice Cream swallowed as the conversation repeated again in his mind. He blinked a couple more times, shocked that he and Green might have met prior, "Did he ever meet me back then? I don't remember meeting anyone besides you and Frederic."

"Well,"Camille said, looking off to the side, again in memory, as her son looked randomly around himself, bored of chewing on her finger, "Fred caught him trying to sneak into your room one time. I think the fact a sudden stranger entered into our mini family gave him umbrage," she laughed, "Even back then he was grumpy. Born with a scowl his father used to joke."

Camille looked back to Ice Cream.

"Funny how nearly twenty years later you two are together."

Ice Cream snapped his head round and looked momentarily shocked before the woman waved him off, before whispering, "Fred told me Vincent had a lover and that I wouldn't believe who it was in a million years. But I worked it out. Green has literal hearts in his eyes when he looks at you."

"Thank you," Ice Cream said with a smile, not being able to rid the feeling of wanting to be sick at the revelation he couldn't remember, "But I'm sorry, again, I don't remember seeing anyone other than yourself and Fred at the apartment."

"You were nearly dead when Fred found you. I think you can be forgiven for not remembering. But has Green never said anything? I know he was young but..."

"No, nothing...well, no that's a bit of a lie," he said, "He did mention to me that he was under Frederic's care for years before he was transferred over to Axe, but, correct me if I'm wrong, but I was with you and your husband for only a week."

"And the rest!" Camille said, before laughing at a shocked Ice Cream, "I think the fact you were out cold muddled your time scale. It was more like a month."

Ice Cream blinked and exhaled. He didn't remember anything of the sort. Just snippets of Fred helping him to eat. Camille helping him to dress. He didn't remember anyone else, least alone a child. Wait, Green had tried to get into his room? He laughed despite his uneasiness at this knowledge, as in his head he saw a vision of a scowling Mini-Vincent wondering who the hell had encroached into his territory.

"Maybe that explains why he takes issue with our-newest Assassin?" the mother offered.

"Arno?"

Camille nodded.

"But...he's perfectly fine with Alexina and Francois, and they just joined," the Lock Picker said.

"Ah, but how old are they? Younger or older than Green?"

"Younger...but Arno, I think, is around the same age as him."

"There we are," Camille said, "problem solved! Perhaps Green is just jealous of having peers, that could be more talented than him, in close proximity."

"My gut tells me it's more so because Arno was a Templar. But myself and Axe hold no grudge..."

"Oh," Camille said, "Yes that would explain it too...considering what happened to Green's father."

"Green Coat's father?" Ice Cream asked, ears pricking.

"Well...I feel a bit uncomfortable saying this but..."

"...?"

"Green's father ran off on him when his wife died," Camille whispered, looking over her shoulder, just in case Vincent magically popped up, "Where he went, Green knows, but he won't tell anyone."

"His father abandoned him?" Ice Cream balked.

Camille nodded with a sad frown.

"Axe says no one could understand. Green's dad loved him and his wife to bits...but after she died, well, the mind set can change in a person."

"You think he...," Ice Cream offered, "...went to the other side? Became a Templar?"

"Or went into hiding...or threw himself off a cliff," Camille said with a shrug, "No one knows. I like to think he's still out there, lurking somewhere, but...grief does very odd things to people."

"True...," Ice Cream nodded, shocked at this information. He never heard his lover talk about his parents, apart from mentioning they loved him before he went over to Frederic. The Lock Picker coughed, remembering last night. Vincent had sobbed himself to sleep, in his arms. When he woke up, he was still confused, if less emotional. Specifically what Vincent was terrified of, Ice Cream didn't know. He had tried to get the younger man to pinpoint what the issue was. But his partner kept muttering about ghosts and how they weren't real. About things trying to get into his head. How he thought he was going crazy. Ice Cream had told him firmly that he wasn't losing it, that they had all heard the lion "speak". Although, white ghostly visions, he admitted, no others had experienced.

"I just think Arno's not so blinded by Creed doctrine that Green might envy that."

Ice Cream nodded slightly, not entirely convinced at Camille's suggestion. He felt his stomach suddenly lurch and he put a hand to his abdomen, rubbing. Perhaps he had eaten too much lunch, even if Mrs Breton's cooking was delicious. Or that lunch meat he had tried was going off. It did taste a bit funny.

"A bit of a random change of subject, but did Lunch taste off to you?"

"No?"

"Not the lunch meat?"

"I had a taste but I thought it was alright," Camille said, pocketing the wooden toy brick her son had thrown away again, "Why, you think it had turned?"

"I don't know, it just tasted odd. The whole meal tasted smokey to me."

He made a mental note to check with Mrs Breton.

Sensing the conversation was coming to a close at her friend's silence, Camille changed the topic.

"I must admit, Ice," she said as she hefted the weight of her child higher up onto her hip as they continued their walked, "I do miss the field."

"Understandable."

"But that said I don't miss Axe barking down orders," she whispered, "And to think _I'm_ his superior!"

"I think Axe enjoys his own barking."

Camille hummed an agreement before casting a side look at her tall and ginger friend.

"Also, I hope you don't mind me saying, but I am rather envious of your skin."

Ice Cream smiled with confusion, tilting his head to one side.

"My skin?"

"You seem to almost glow more these days," Camille said, nodding to him, "...and your face seems a bit fuller. The only time I was like that was when I was pregnant..."

They caught each others eye.

"Well, there is little chance of that," Ice Cream said with a laugh, holding up his good hand to show the woman the cruel Latin branding, proving he was barren, "Hell would sooner freeze over."

"Still, even though that ship has sailed..." Camille said as Ice lowered his palm, "...if hell was to freeze over...would you...?"

"I'm thirty-eight, Camille, I'm too old," he laughed in defeat that they were even having this conversation.

"And I'm thirty-nine...," Camille said with a meaningful look, looking down at her son, who was now playing with a tassel on her shoulder, trying to shove it into his mouth, "And Green...what do you think his view on a family is?"

Ice Cream paused not knowing what to say. He was going to ask why she seemed so interested, but realized that she was, at one point, Green's somewhat adoptive mother.

"I don't think he's a fan of children," Ice Cream said.

"Hmm, and to think he has to carry on his bloodline-oh, no, he's not done it yet," Camille said, seeing the question dancing in his eyes, "I know he hasn't as Axe is constantly ranting to me about it. Plus, that pretty blonde girl... you know I'm not sure she is ready. In fact, I don't think she has to worry anymore."

"Why do you say that?"

"...hmm, Women's Intuition."

Ice Cream stopped on the spot, making a face of tiredness at the subject.

"You're not seriously suggesting that **I** ," he said, waving a hand up and down his male body, "...could be pregnant?"

"Why would you say that?" Camille asked with a sly smile, "I didn't suggest anything. But **you** did."

Ice Cream stared at the women like she was a lunatic. He went to open his mouth but a different voice came out.

"Morning my love!" a friendly voice sung from the end of the corridor.

Both Assassins looked up to see a smiling Frederic walking up to them, his beaded sash clinking with many beads of glass and wood as he joyfully strutted up to them.

"I doubt I will ever have to worry about it," Ice Cream said firmly and quietly to Camille, as the Assassin neared them.

"Then adopt," she quickly whispered, handing him her son. Ice Cream jerked slightly at having a two month old baby placed in his arms, automatically wrapping his arms securely around it, trying to get his cast wrist into a form of half a circle. He looked up and saw Camille running up to her husband, blue dress billowing. Ice Cream carefully held the youngest de la Vert to his chest, the baby looking round at it's mother, bemused at why this tall person was now holding him. Both watched as the husband and wife embraced and Frederic swooped her up in his arms, beginning to rattle off all the reasons he loved her.

Ice Cream turned away with a slight cough, biting his lip in amusement of the antics, making Camille break the kiss and say loudly, "Not in public, dear."

"Oops! Sorry my love," Frederic said, placing her back down onto the carpet. He looked up and came over to Ice Cream, pressing a kiss to the baby's head who cooed and giggled. Frederic then turned his attention to the adult holding his son.

"Fancy a kiss too, Icey?" Frederic laughed to which Ice Cream shook his head, "No, I'm good thank you," he said, offering Camille her son back. The Lock Picker tried desperately to ignore a small hole in his chest, calling out to him of loss, as the weight of the baby left him.

"Aww, don't say that," Camille said and quickly pressed a sneaky kiss to Ice's cheek, "Don't want anyone feeling left out, now do we?"

The ginger haired Assassin blinked at the sudden affection and silently thanked Camille for the distraction.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to steal your lunch fellow, my love," Frederic said to his wife.

"No problem," Camille said hefting her son back on her hip, before she nodded to the Lock Picker, "See you later, Ice Cream."

"See you," Ice Cream said putting up a hand as she passed him. He paused as Camille winked at him, unseen by Frederic. Ice Cream kept still, not acknowledging her secret message of...what ever that wink was meant to mean, as Camille walked to the end of the corridor.

The two men watched the woman and her child leave before Frederic turned back to Ice Cream.

His smile faded into seriousness.

"This way."

~

Arno stepped out from a side street, before quickly stepping back, pulling Green Coat's body with him. Troops marched past and the Assassins waited. Arno was about to move when a dis-guarded newspaper off to the side stopped him. He lent over, careful of Green on him and picked it up. The paper was new and on the front was a drawn image of an army. He studied the troops quickly. They were not National Guard uniforms the penciled men were wearing. A black eagle adorned their chests.

Prussian troops.

Arno squatted down, Green Coat groaning with pain, as the National Guard in the street in front of them continued to march. If only they would hurry up and get out of the way then they could get to Mirabeau's tavern.

Arno looked down at the front page and stared.

"Verdun is under attack," Arno said quietly as he read the paper's script.

"Where's that?" Green Coat grunted through his pain, watching the marching men with his good eye.

"East of here, a week's march."

Green Coat turned to Arno.

"...they're heading to Paris."

"We have to warn the others," Arno said as the row of men in front of them ended and they frog marched into the next street. A shout came from one of the houses and Arno made his move while the house searches began, "Come on, Mirabeau's tavern is just round the corner."

Arno pulled Green Coat's arm around his neck and the two twenty-two year olds staggered their way across the main street and into the dark road ahead.

~

Ice Cream followed the elder man back into the room they were in yesterday. Upon entering, the Lock Picker looked over and saw Axe, sitting at the circular table, consulting a large brown ledger. The windows behind him streamed in light, dappling the floor, across Axe's form, table and ledger. Ice mused to himself that he didn't actually know what was in that book, aside from their earlier notes on past missions. Ice Cream coughed, announcing his presence.

Axe looked up.

"Morning Ice, take a seat."

 Ice Cream sat down on the offered seat opposite and noticed that the table they were at was the same one Green Coat had fallen into. An impact dent was just off to his right, along with a scuff mark, no doubt where one of Green Coat's belt buckles had scraped it. The Lock Picker was about to rub a finger over the marks, wanting to know just how much damage his partner had done but heard a click. He looked back to see Frederic locking the door.

"Right," Axe said, scribbling something into the book and then slamming it shut with a whumpf.

Frederic took a seat on the left side of the table, near Axe.

Both men looked at him.

Ice Cream waited but as time stretched, so did his confusion. After a minute or so, he opened up his mouth.

"Can I help you with something?"

Frederic slowly took something out of his coat and placed it onto the table's surface. A leather tube rolled slightly as it was placed down and then was still.

Ice Cream fixed his eyes on the package, feeling his teeth clench.

"You have a chance to tell us, Ice," Axe said, leaning his elbows on the table, "Anything at all."

The Lock Picker looked up, his face hard, knowing full well what this meeting was going to be about. He shifted, crossing one leg over the other and leaned back in his chair, hands resting casually on his stomach. He ignored how his lower back oddly ached from the position. He fixed Axe with a cold look.

"Are you threatening me?"

"No, preparing you," Frederic said softly from the side.

"Excuse me?"

"We're goin' to have you meet Henri."

Ice Cream stared at Axe, before coughing slightly, feeling emotions wanting to take over his responses, "For what reason?" he asked, a slight shake to his voice.

Axe nodded to the leather tube, silently.

"You think Henri's keeping secrets about the lion?" the Lock Picker asked.

"He's not the only one we're thinking of," Frederic said.

Ice snapped his head round at Fred. This was because of yesterday. Him and his big mouth. Potent anger, that shocked even himself, made Ice Cream move as he sat up, grabbed at the leather tube, unbuckling it harshly. Neither men stopped him as he tipped the tube up and the Lion slid out in its white cloth. Ice then tore the cloth off and slammed the statue down onto the table, not caring which way the stone animal was facing. A thrill of letting his aggression out licked up Ice Cream's spine. But he felt sick inwardly. Why was he reacting so emotionally? What happened to his characteristically calm temperament? But the angry part of Ice Cream decided it didn't give a shit what the rest of him felt like.

"Then why don't you ask it?" he asked flippantly, nodding to the carved animal.

A feeling of guilt ran through Ice. It wasn't like him to snap. But recently he had been feeling more hypersensitive. Things that wouldn't bother him suddenly became enormous issues that on more than one occasion would bring a tear to his eye. Like the other day; accidentally dropping a fork onto the floor gave him levels of frustration he hadn't felt in years. He had mused on what the cause could be and settled on the reason must be he was due to bleed again soon. Huzzah for erratic menstrual cycles, he thought bitterly.

"When you went to get Francois, why did you take the lion with you, Ice?" Axe asked, ignoring the stone animal, "Why did you steal it?"

"I didn't steal anything; it's mine."

Axe sucked on his teeth.

"Arno told me that you were attacked by Templars-"

"Which you know about," Ice began to protest, confused as to why Arno was being brought up.

"But not about the fire bending."

Ice stared at Axe and retaliated.

"I know you and Arno have been looking for Blue Hat, Axe."

Now it was Axe's turn to stare.

"Is it true?" Ice Cream pressed.

Axe nodded.

"So why didn't you tell me?"

"The Brotherhood needs to know everything there is to know about that," Frederic said, nodding to the carving, trying to direct the conversation and prevent it from flying off into something else entirely, "If it's a Piece of Eden or something else."

Ice Cream turned a cold and dark blue eyed stare towards Frederic.

"Then ask Henri."

"We tried that."

Ice Cream looked to Axe.

"I have nothing to hide..."

"I've heard you say that before, Ice."

Ice Cream felt that feeling again. He wanted to cry with frustration and was trying everything in his power to not. To distract himself he reached out and turned the lion around so it was facing an open window. Better for the lion to stare out into the distant city of Pairs than to watch grown men argue. His mental wall, keeping his emotions at bay, began to shake.

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"No, I'm calling you loyal," Axe said, "Too loyal. But he is not your husband any longer-"

"Do not assume," Ice Cream's voice of pure venom said, "for one second I still hold a flame for him."

Silence ruled as Frederic looked at Axe. The large bearded leader licked his teeth, under his lips, thinking how best to continue.

"I'm not saying that," Axe said carefully, "I'm saying that old habits die hard. Old orders still stand strong. It's how the Brotherhood works."

"What do you think Vincent would say if he knew you were still covering for Henri?" Frederic asked softly.

"You keep him out of this," Ice Cream spat, eyes flashing dangerously, "He's the one part of my life that I haven't managed to ruin."

"Do you think he heard you mention Henri before he passed out yesterday?"

At the mention of Green Coat and yesterday's events, a sadness came over Ice Cream, dulling the edge to his anger, remembering that frightened figure in his arms shaking with terror.

"...I assumed so."

"Well Arno mentioned to me before they set out this morning that Green had been looking not with it for a while during that meeting. I'm willing to bet he remembers nothing at all from the entire conversation after he asked why you and he are hearing a heartbeat. So thank goodness for small miracles."

Ice Cream was quiet.

"...Why do you think we are all hearing different things, Ice Cream?" Frederic's voice, gentle, asked.

Ice Cream looked down at his abdomen where his hands were resting, Camille's voice swimming around his head. A thought he had kept at bay began to paw at his mind as he gently rubbed a thumb across his stomach where his hands were resting, interlocked. Ice Cream felt a spark of hope but it was shot down fast by his anger at the present conversation. Ice Cream looked out at the city through the open windows.

"I don't know," he said softly.

"He won't stop, Iris."

Ice slowly looked at Frederic.

"He won't stop until you two meet."

"So I'm meant to bend over and take it?" Ice Cream said, trying to keep his composure in tact as conflicting emotions continued to collide with frustration, "For the sake of the Brotherhood? Henri has already done me over multiple times and you," he nodded to Frederic, "...you know the rest."

"We just need to see if Henri will be more talkative about the kitty if he sees you."

Ice Cream stared incredulous at Axe.

"But we want your permission."

Ice Cream kept his mouth shut, nostrils flaring.

 "We know this is the last thing you want to do," Axe continued, "It's the last thing we both want to do."

"Could have fooled me," Ice Cream muttered under his breath.

"A simple yes or no, Ice...to meeting Henri," Frederic finished.

"How can you ask me that, Frederic...?," Ice Cream turned to the uncharacteristically subdued Assassin, "...after the state you found me in that filthy alleyway? I never want to meet that selfish, uncaring and deceitful bastard ever again."

"And we've been keeping him under house arrest and away from you for that very reason. Henri is under guard day and night," Axe said.

The Lock Picker scoffed.

"Green Coat knows he's in the building," Ice Cream said with a self-glorious smirk, "And he seems rather calm about it. Which for him is a warning flag if ever I saw one. So which of you is going to tell me when he and Henri met?"

"We spoke to Green and told him not to go to the top floor. It was an order."

Ice Cream stared, wide eyed and open mouthed, at Axe.

"Are you mad? That's the first thing he'd do!"

"Aye."

A bell went off in Ice Cream's head. He collapsed back into his chair, staring at Axe like the man had gone stark raving mad.

"Oh my God, you tricked him..."

Axe blinked and looked away.

"Oh my God you tricked him, you _wanted_ him to go up there-!"

"Ice, calm down-" Axe said.

"No, no, no," the Lock Picker almost laughed, feeling his frustration suddenly take on leaps and bounds, the emotional pressure building alarmingly within his chest, "I want to hear this. For what, shits and giggles, was it Axe?!"

"Ice-"

 "You two don't have anything better to do?!" Ice Cream nearly shrieked.

"Ice, it isn't what you think,-" Axe said.

Ice Cream stood up from his chair with a clatter, slamming his good hand down onto the table, eyes flashing dangerously at Axe.

**"How could it not be what I think?!"**

Axe didn't make eye contact.

The entire room was quiet save for the copper haired man's heavy breathing and bellow reverberating around the room and leaking out into the rooms next door.

"We wanted them to meet so that Henri can see you have moved on..." Frederic gently offered, trying to calm the situation.

Ice Cream could feel his limbs shaking. It was taking every ounce of restraint to stop himself from jumping the table and smacking the bearded asshole across the face. Or strangling him. He didn't know which one he preferred at this present moment in time-

"....and Green Coat is still alive," Frederic said, eyes pleading to the tall man.

There was a long silence. Ice stared at the men in front of him, hoping what he was hearing was some joke. A cruel one, but a joke none the less. When neither of the sitting men voiced his view, Ice Cream tried in vain not to accept that the two men he trusted, apart from Arno and Green, had been playing him and his partner. He didn't want to believe it. A cool side to his brain piped up that they had not done anything dangerous, really. Yes, Henri could have killed Green Coat, even if he found out that he was Ice's new lover. But he knew Henri. The man wouldn't commit murder in the midst of Assassins. Plus, didn't Axe say the man was under guard day and night? He had never seen Henri kill out of jealously or pettiness. Yes, he was possessive but only when someone similar in talent posed a threat. He wasn't interested in Green Coat, Henri probably considered him too young to pose a threat. Yes, he would be highly irked that someone decades younger than him had claimed his former lover as his own, but he, himself was what Henri wanted to see again. And Axe and Frederic had played him and Green Coat like fucking fiddles. For the Brotherhood. For the sake of the Creed. To get information on this hunk of vibrating rock that may or may not be First Civilization, never minds its Salmacis branding. This is what being an Assassin was like, was it? You betrayed your friends the moment higher ups told you to do so just in case you owned something that both Assassins and Templars wanted? Was that the real reason Axe introduced him into the brotherhood?

Ice Cream swallowed as bile came to his throat.

But they are giving you a choice, Ice Cream's mind reminded him. You can say no. If so, then they will probably beat the information out of Henri. He hated to think that. Even though the man deserved everything he got, Ice Cream couldn't sanction that. Henri was too old and, from what he had seen of his walking, weak. And Frederic and Axe knew it. Wait. They weren't giving him a choice. It was emotional blackmail. They both new he would feel pity for his former lover. The answer was plain as day and they had the audacity to ask him for permission. The ironic thing was Henri probably didn't even know he nearly died all those years ago. Probably assuming the reason he didn't want to see him was that he had left. Ice Cream began laughing softly to himself. He looked down at the wooden table, dragged a gloves finger across the top of the dent that Green Coat's body had made, watching his finger tip leave a sweat trail. Ice Cream licked his lips and looked back up to the Assassins, knowing exactly what to say.

He smirked.

"Go fuck yourselves."

Ice Cream turned, walking to the door. He felt betrayed. No, beyond betrayed. His chest hurt at how they had manipulated him. But not just him, Green Coat too. How could they have put Vincent in danger like that?! It just didn't make sense. Green Coat had a bloodline to continue and was astounded Axe and Frederic could do such a thing. He grabbed the door knob, wondering how much pressure it would take to crush brass in his fist and how good that would feel-

"A few days ago, Henri gave Arno a message," Axe said loudly.

"Arno?" Ice Cream said angrily, not taking his hand off the door nob, "What does he have to do with this?"

"Arno was instructed by Henri to give you these."

The Lock Picker heard a stack of, what sounded like paper, be dropped onto the table behind him.

"Do you know what these are?"

Ice, against his better judgement, looked back. A pile of brown and yellow letters, wrapped with a piece of string around the middle sat next to the lion. He took his hand off of the door knob, arguing with himself that this was just another ploy. But, it couldn't hurt to see, could it? He carefully walked back, agreeing he would only do so to satisfy his curiosity. Then he would walk. But upon seeing the familiar handwriting of Henri, he stopped, looking down at the table. He shook his head in answer.

"They are letters. Letters that Henri wrote, to you, for years it seems," Frederic said calmly.

Ice picked up the stack, feeling the past calling to him.

"I never received any letters..." Ice Cream said quietly, before he noticed one in the pile was torn open.

"You read them?"

"Just one," Axe said seriously, "And I can tell you now, if you were to read these, your view on him will change."

"Oh really?" Ice Cream laughed with a raised eyebrow, his mind telling him to leave now. Fuck them both.

"But it's up to you," Frederic said, "Either we get you to talk to him or..."

"Or?"

"We throw the carrot away and get the stick out on Henri."

"You wouldn't, he's too old-"

"Order are orders, Ice," Frederic said sadly, "And we have them from a very high place."

Ice Cream chewed his lip, unsure. But one thing was for certain. This new development smelt like bribery.

"We are not asking that you meet him alone. We will both be with you."

Ice cream looked up at Frederic then back at the letters in his hands.

"And by reading these you hope I will change my mind? That I'll come over all emotional and remember the good times we had-"

"Ice-"

"-and not the fact he nearly got me killed?"

"As much as I wish I was about to lie, yes. We want you to get the information out of him. But we want ya' consent, Ice. You have every right to say no right now," Axe said, "You have every right to read those letters and then still tell us to take a runnin' jump."

"..."

"Take your time," Frederic said before softly saying, "We're sorry Iris, truly, that we are even having this conversation. Our hands have been forced now that Henri has returned and that the lion is showing signs of being a Piece of Eden."

The Lock Picker looked up at the man who brought him back to life all those years ago. The brother of Henri. When one brother had cast him out, the other took him in. Suddenly another realization came to Ice. Frederic was Henri's brother. Even though Frederic cut friendly ties with Henri long ago...probably deep down in his heart, still cared for his elder sibling. Wait, had they already been given orders to interrogate Henri? To beat the information out of him? Then...maybe, the higher ups didn't know about this mercy plea from Axe and Frederic to get the information safely and calmly out of Henri.

"Orders are orders, hmm?" Ice Cream said looking at the lion. He frowned, distracted. If he didn't know any better, the lion seemed to have moved a fraction of an inch, still staring out into the city. Ice looked out and wondered what it was the lion was watching.

"Ice Cream, can I ask you something?"

Ice Cream raised an eyebrow to the younger De la Vert.

"Does Henri know the truth?" Frederic said carefully, "The truth of why you nearly died?"

"I seriously doubt he knew I was dying. Not unless you've told him."

"What do you think he'd do if he knew?"

Ice Cream swallowed and looked down at the letters. He felt his heart clenched painfully as he saw the amount of letters Henri had written.

"I'm never going to tell him."

"You want the truth as to why he disappeared for so long, don't you?" Frederic said gently.

"What are you getting at?" Ice Cream sighed, feeling a headache at the front of his skull, feeling his patience wearing thin.

"I know he does not deserve it, hell I nearly shot him the other day, but...I think both of you owe the truth to each other."

Ice Cream fixed Frederic with a look.

"He doesn't deserve to know the truth."

Axe coughed.

"...neither does Francois?"

Ice Cream's eyes snapped sharply up to Axe under his copper brow.

Frederic felt his hidden blades under his arms at the look both men were giving each other, preparing himself if he had to stop a literal fight, surprised the bearded man had brought up Francois.

Axe didn't back down as Ice Cream narrowed his eyes.

"You've both known since the tavern, haven't you?"

"Aye, how could we not," Axe said, still unblinking up at Ice Cream, "The boy is ya' spitting image."

"Are you using that knowledge of Francois against me?" Ice asked very slowly, keeping his anger just about at bay.

"No, Henri will never know of his existence," Axe said, leaning forwards, eyes full of sincerity, "I swear on my wife's grave."

Ice Cream stared at Axe before blinking away, eyes unfocused.

"Has Henri come into contact with Francois?" Ice Cream asked quietly with hidden dread.

"No. And we have absolutely no plan of changing that. You have my word. Even if higher ups were to demand it," Axe said staunchly.

The lithe Assassin shut his eyes, mentally exhausted. He didn't want to talk anymore. Didn't want to negotiate. Perhaps he should have just stormed out of the room when he had the chance and not come back to these luring letters-

"But just know, what ever happens, you are no longer his property," Frederic said softly.

Ice Cream kept silent.

Both men watched as the Lock Picker rubbed his mouth and kept it there, as he looked out of the window, eyes blinking rapidly.

The entire room was quiet. Birds called, voices shouted and laughed from the refugee village in the gardens, the sounds wafting into the room from the open window.

Ice Cream didn't know what to do or say any more. Everything was too much. Thinking was too much. His worry at Green Coat's behavior last night and this morning, Henri wanting to see him, the lion that he wished he could throw out the window and have it disappear forever, Camille's cryptic words to him, the potential to visit the real Fountain of Salmacis and now Axe and Frederic's plea to be merciful to a man he never wanted to see again...

But he had a choice.

Yes or No.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Wings - So to speed things up I've contracted the time line up, so some events that happened in 1792 will happen now (in 1791). However, I'm keeping the course and sequence of the events as true to history as I can. For example; the events leading up to the September Massacres will not change and will proceed until September 1791 (when in reality, the September Massacres happened a year later.) We've had to do this as myself and Moon are setting up the third act (and final arc of this story); The Terror.
> 
> History Note:  
> Divorce was illegal leading up to and during the French Revolution. (In fact, men were allowed a mistress but a women was not allowed a lover. A man could be arrested for adultery only if the mistress entered into the family home. But if a woman had a lover, she was arrest for adultery. No wonder the women wanted a change!)


	30. A Betting Man's Game: Part Three.

~

Ice Cream sat in the brown and plump armchair in his and Green Coat's bedroom, biting at a thumbnail. He stared into the open fire that was dancing merrily away in the iron grating. Small pops and wheezes from the burning wood filled the silence as he thought deeply with a frown. In his other hand was an old and sealed paper envelope adorned with handsome cursive handwriting. He looked to the pile of slim envelopes on the side table next to him then back at the fire. The first letter, written in 1770 according to the small number on a corner, was tapping lightly against his knee. Did he want to read it?  Well, he had been sitting here for nearly half an hour in contemplation and the envelope remained unopened. If he was not going to open it, the Assassin mused, then why was he holding it? Ice Cream continued to nibble absentmindedly on his thumbnail, frowning, unsure what to do next, casting looks to the flames after a few loud bangs of charring wood echoed in the room. The day had suddenly become much colder that the previous week, so had started a small fire in the ornate grill. Not only was his sensations to temperature changing but his constant feeling of wanting to be sick had returned with vigor. He looked down to a porcelain bowl ready on the floor next to him should he need it. Ice Cream breathed deeply through his nose and held the letter up to his face in his white cast hand. He could do this. He could read, that's all it was, just read a letter. Just one. Didn't he spend years trying to find out why Henri had deserted him? Hadn't he asked Axe during their time together on his farm about where Henri might have gone all those years ago before giving up hope? Had he not asked Frederic and Camille to his whereabouts?

But now the answers were literally in his hands. Packaged up neatly. All he had to do was open them, one by one, and read. And he wanted to throw them all into the damn fire. The past was the past, he had argued to himself, they could never go back. Green Coat was his partner now and felt anger that Henri had suddenly interfered with the present, even getting Arno involved. So what was he to do? He could not read the letters; stuff them into a cupboard, destroy them and what would he gain? Nothing. Open them and read? He'd gain answers. Potentially painful answers, but answers none the less.

Ice Cream turned the tanned envelope over, biting his lip and picked at the wax seal of the Assassins a couple of times. He picked at it again and the wax broke. He flinched. He hadn't meant to have opened it, just wanted to pick at the texture. Or did he? Did his subconscious want to know, even if his conscious mind recoiled at the thought? Henri was going to be interrogated either way about the Lion. Perhaps if he read these letters then the answer to what he should do would come to him. Is that why his former husband brought them into the HQ in the first place? Did he always carry these letters around? Did he know his partner had been recruited into the Brotherhood? Was that why he suddenly turned up out of the blue? Ice Cream blinked, feeling a knot at his throat and a warm flicker in his chest and suddenly dived into the pile on the table. He flicked through to the most recent one. He found it and checked the date.

The man was still writing letters to him.

The Lock Picker slowly placed the pile back onto the table and stared at the 1770's dated letter in his hand. He shut his blue eyes. As much as he had previously loved and cared for Henri, that Iris was gone. In that person's place was an Assassin called Ice Cream. A man. A man who was adopted into Axe's family. A farmer. A man who continued to improve his lock picking talents. A Lock Picker who was in love with a Lock Smith. Who enjoyed collecting and reading books, long lie-ins on Sundays and creating locks with a twenty-two year old Assassin called Vincent. Henri's good little wife had gone.

Ice Cream sighed loudly, pinching the top of his nose.

Maybe if he just stayed here, rooted to the chair, everything would sort itself out. But he knew it wouldn't. He had an answer to give; was he to help the Brotherhood in getting information out of Henri safely or under duress?

There was only one way to find out.

Ice Cream breathed in deeply, ripped the top of the envelope open with a harsh yank before hurtling himself downwards into the past.

~

"What the hell is happening to this country?" Green Coat whispered hoarsely, the jolt of nearly being shot in the head bringing him out of his previously ghost induced stupor.

"I think we'd all like to know..." Arno said looking at the paper in Green Coat's hands, "Looks like some rich aristocrats who fled to Austria are trying to get back to France via an invasion-"

Arno ducked as a bullet whistled passed a bit too close to them. "Come, we're sitting ducks out here," Arno said as they both moved down the street. The blue coated Assassin guided them both down street after street, heading in the direction of Francois's Bakery. On the way they were forced to hide in an outside shed and a haystack. Peeking out from between the stalks of straw, Arno saw houses being searched. Troops with large hats and bayonets kicked down doors of those whom wouldn't permit them in. While the guards were distracted arguing with the towns folk, Arno moved them both onward, while Green Coat winced every now and again, the iodine doing it's work. Nearing a familiar bend in the road, something off to the right caught the blue Assassin's attention. A dirty white scrap of paper, that had been nailed into a nearby wall, flapped in the wind as Arno walked them over to it. He leaned over and squinted at the writing.

_By order of the Commune Paris, house to house searches are to be conducted to route out sympathizers to the King and Clergy. Anyone found attempting to disrupt proceedings will automatically be found guilty of counter revolutionary behavior._

Arno quickly ripped the note off of the wall and stuffed it into an outer pocket. The Assassins, if they didn't know by now, would have to be told this latest news.

The two Assassins continued to walk slowly, as to not gain attention among the other main reason. Green Coat stumbled a couple of times, swearing, only being able to see out of one eye, before they came to a stop having reached their destination.

"Finally..."

"What?" Green Coat grunted before looking up to where Arno was staring. A large building with boards up around the outside and covering the windows of what could only be described as an old tavern loomed up over them.

"Want to try our luck?" Arno rhetorically asked as he began to heft them both up the small set of steps to the main door, mindful of his peer's injury. Arno coughed before loudly banging his fist against the door a couple of times, hearing the noise echo in the space behind. Both young men listened but heard no footsteps. Shit, had Mirabeau gone?

They shuffled over to a wooden board that was covering a window up and peered inside between the gaps. The tavern was dark but still full bottles of alcohol adorned the bar area, chairs were upturned on the tables and the place looked clean. Arno heard Green Coat groan in pain again and quickly moved back to the door, staring at the grey iron lock below the handle. Mirabeau surely wouldn't mind if they rested here for a while...?

"I'll pick the lock-"

"Try not too, lads," a voice called from behind, "for a devil of a time I'll have tryin' ta fix it. All the Lock Smiths have buggered off."

Both men turned around to see a large man holding a box under a huge arm.

"Mirabeau, thank goodness," Arno said and shook the man's hand, with a hug as Green Coat lent against the door and away from the men, breathing heavily with a scowl on his face. But it wasn't long before the large man set upon him with a giant hug.

"Ah!" Green wheezed as the man squeezed him briefly before letting go.

"Looks like you, lad, have been in a spot of bother, hmm?"

"No, what gave it away?" Green Coat muttered sarcastically under his breath, stepping away from the brute, hand still to his forehead with the smelly cloth, as Mirabeau reached past him and unlocked the heavy door to the tavern.

"Come in, come in," Mirabeau said, pushing the door open, taking Green Coat's upper arm and helping the injured Assassin inside. Arno, seeing Mirabeau struggling with the box, took over and helped Green Coat towards a table, but just as they reached it the man shoved him away and sat down. Arno let it slide. For now. Very soon all three men were sitting around the table on wooden chairs, a candle in the center with Green Coat mumbling a "Merci" to Mirabeau who had fixed a clean bandage around his head. Arno looked around himself and felt an enormous sense of déjà vu. It seemed eons ago that they were all sitting here at this very table with a younger Francois trying to eat a bowl of gruel. Green Coat coughed and Arno looked at him. He saw a blood stain through the gauze where the gash had done its work and made a mental note to keep an eye on the annoying twat in case he got worse.

"So what's new in this part of Paris?" Arno asked, nodding in thanks to the drink that was offered to him by Mirabeau, along side a small plate of cooked vegetables.

"Madness, that's what," the larger man grunted, bringing over a pint of weak looking cider and a large black bottle of whiskey, "There is word that Prussia, along with Counter Revolutionaries, are heading into Paris. Her up there won't stop telling me to pack me things and leave."

Arno looked up to where he was pointing and saw the familiar urn of the man's late wife, perched on the top most shelf.

Green Coat went to take the cider but was stopped.

"No, no, no, my son, the whiskey is for you."

Green Coat stared at him with one eye.

"I'll get drunk."

"Aye, but that head of yours will stop hurting. Bet it kills like a bitch, don't it?"

"You're lucky you didn't lose an eye, Green Coat," Arno said firmly expecting the man to scowl at him. But Green Coat looked at the dark bottle, took it in one hand, closed his eyes and made a sharp grimace before chugged back a mouthful with a disgusted "ah!"

"Now, what's happening over at the Brotherhood?" Mirabeau asked as Green Coat coughed from the strong alcohol.

"More Assassins are arriving by the day. Axe is now seemingly in charge of more things then he cares to let on about," Arno continued feeling that shiver of annoyance of not being told everything their leader was doing, "...and our friend had a baby."

"Oh, Frederic's girl?"

"Oui, Camille," Arno said, "she had a little boy, how did you know?"

Mirabeau tapped his nose, "I ain't a successful author of a paper for no reason, my lad."

"Fair enough."

"So what's the bad news?" Mirabeau chuckled, taking a gulp of amber cider.

"Master Connor hasn't shown," the Ex-Templar offered, "Storms up north are delaying him, we keep being told."

"Oh, aye, terrible weather up north, like someone's got it in for the folk up there. Rain, thunder and lightning destroying crops and burning people's houses down. Or so I hear- hey, you!" Mirabeau said, pointing at Green Coat with a thick finger, "Drink up boy!"

The twenty-two year old made a face.

"How about here?" Arno said nodding to the boarded up windows as the third party member cursed and begrudgingly took another swig of strong whiskey.

"Madness," Mirabeau almost spat, "Bloody Madness, and this time I especially mean the bloody part. Those up north have it lucky, dare I say it."

"Tell me about it," Arno said seeing a small trickle of blood down Green Coat's cheek, remembering that there were dozens of those that were not so lucky still lying dead in the streets.

"Prussia, bloody idiots, and Austria," Mirabeau continued taking a gulp of his drink with a grimace, "They told us public that if King Louis was to come to harm-"

"That they would invade," Arno finished, remembering the troop's uniforms.

"Aye," Mirabeau said and Arno was struck how much the man was like Axe, "Well, the aristocrats in both countries are now acting on that threat. Been rumors of mistreatment to the King and his kin."

"But it's just a rumor," Arno said, "How can people act on a rumor alone?"

"Most of the reactions of people around here are based on rumors," Mirabeau said shaking his large head, "The people are sheep, damn lot of them. Believe anything. But that's not the worst."

"Worst? I don't think anything is worse that fighting a War."

"The councils here," Mirabeau said, looking out through a slit in the wooden panels near them, "with no one policing the people, they've started to do it themselves. Each district has their own mini parliament. Some meet daily, others meet weekly," Mirabeau said turning back to Arno, "Most of the time they argue with each other, which news is true, which is false. But a few days ago they all started to agree on something."

"Which would be?"

"Counter Revolution."

Arno made a face.

"...I'm afraid you've lost me, Monsieur."

Mirabeau sighed and paused, thinking intently, "France goes into dept because of rich folk, including the King, pissing our money away. Horrid weather for years that is still continuing. There ain't no food. People get angry and storm the Bastille. Then people realize that they are more powerful than they released. So storm Versailles. King is taken away, new government is put in power. But not everyone agrees with how things should be run now. Infighting happens, with me so far?"

Arno nodded.

"While this is going on, the King sees his authority vanishing, so tries to flee to get foreign help in to violently subdue the revolution. But he's caught. People find out his plan. So they have him under house arrest. Now Prussia and Austria see this and tell us that if King Louis is harmed then they will invade. We tell 'em to piss off. Then the rumors start that we are mistreating Louis. Prussia and Austria are looking angry so we declare War on them. Attack is the best form of defense and all that."

"Uh huh," Arno said, quickly flicking his eyes over and seeing Green Coat's head starting to loll.

"Now, there have always been people who feel sorry for the King and want him to stay. Not in a position of power, mind you, but as a constitutional monarchy. The government has the real power. But then-"

"There are those that want everything changed. Including getting rid of King Louis," Arno said casting his eyes back at the elder man.

"Exactly my boy!" Mirabeau beamed, "Now, these Counter Revolutionaries i.e. people who want to keep the King, have been quiet, no one knows who they are. Could be you or me. But most of them are rounded up and thrown in prison without trial. And there is a fair lot of them in jails around here. So a week ago a rumor began. That part of Prussia and Austria's War plan is to sneak into Paris and open up all the prisons, releasing hell onto the public with these sleeper cells, thus destroying the Revolution."

Arno blinked.

"If it's true then when?"

Mirabeau shrugged, "Who knows, but that's what these councils are all talking about. How best to deal with the threat. Problem is neither council agrees on what to do. Some say to re-trial everyone in the prisons to single out who is a Counter Revolutionary-come-solider. Some say to kill everyone in the prisons just to make sure. Which is why my bag is by the door."

Arno flicked his eyes to the side to see a large satchel in the corner of the room.

"I would say you're insane but we just witnessed a massacre in the Champs de Mars."

Mirabeau quickly lowered his drink.

"What?"

"Our mission was to gauge the public's reaction to King Louis returning."

"Ha, I bet they hollered and cheered right?" Mirabeau said, taking a gulp of cider.

"No. It was silence. I never knew a crowd could collectively fall silent in that manner."

"Then what?"

"Me and Green..." Arno said, remembering the scuffle they had, "...were distracted by women running away from another courtyard. A National Army Sergeant told people to stop gathering. So they threw rocks at him and his troops started shooting. That's when he got hit," Arno said nodding to Green Coat who was un-moving, "I don't know what's happening now but there were a lot of bodies."

"Bless my soul...," Mirabeau said almost a whisper, putting his drink down slowly onto the table top.

"Oui," Arno said pulling a face of grimace.

"Then I'd best pack me coat, too," Mirabeau said.

There was a thump and a snore before both men looked over to see Green Coat passed out on the table.

~

_Dear Iris, I am no longer at the address._

Ice Cream felt bile in his throat, making him swallow. Alright, nothing too much he affirmed to himself, feeling his hand wanting to crush the paper.

_I pray that this letter reaches you. Do not return to our home._

Ice Cream exhaled loudly. Nothing too earth shattering. He could do this. He had heard from Axe and Frederic that he wasn't meant to return to the address he shared with Henri, so this he already knew. But it was comforting, for a lack of a better expression, to know that Henri had indeed tried to warn him. Just a shame that he never received the letter until twenty odd years too late.

_Wait for me by Le Pont Neuf, I shall then move us to the new address. Keep the Lion safe.  
_

Ice Cream coughed, feeling his mental barrier starting to vibrate and his view of Henri shifted slightly. The man had planned to collect him.

_Safety and Peace, Henri X_

There the letter ended. Ice cream put the paper down onto his lap and blinked into the space. What was he afraid of?

Next.

_Dear Iris, I waited at Le Pont Neuf but you did not appear. I fear that my last message was intercepted. I will write again. Safety and Peace. H X  
_

Alright, that one was rather short, as was to be expected.

Ice Cream opened up the next one.

_Dear Iris, my earlier messages have been returned to me, unopened. I believe that this means you are not at the address any longer and somehow knew of the danger I had put us in. I'm not sure where you are now, but I hope you are safe and shall send these messages to our home address in the case that you return from where ever you are. Forgive me, this situation is entirely my fault at putting our lives at stake for the sake of intelligence. Keep the Lion close. Safety and Peace, Henri X_

Ice Cream coughed again, feeling his chest tighten but still oddly calm. He placed the letter down with the other opened ones and picked up the next in date.

_Dear Iris, my love, I fear for you. I have not heard word from you in over a month. I returned to our old apartment but found nothing. Your clothes were still in the wardrobe and a snapped broom were all that greeted me. I pray you are safe for I have heard no mentions of Templars taking a hostage of your description or indeed of them obtaining The Lion. If you receive this message then I will return to the apartment in a weeks time. Forgive me. Safety and Peace, Henri X_

Ice Cream blinked as small droplets of water fell onto the paper. For a moment he thought it was raining, then remembered he was indoors and then with a jolt he sniffed, rubbing a hand to his face. He looked at the liquid on his fingers. Tears. Alright, that's not a problem, he thought, he could get through this.

Letter after letter he read, each one becoming more panic sounding than the last. But one thing was clear. Henri had been trying desperately to find him. Glad that he not returned to the apartment, but concerned that he couldn't find him after the danger had passed. And he was apologizing profusely, asking for Ice Cream's forgiveness. Forgiveness for what? For leaving? For putting their lives at stake for intel, as the letter put it? And Henri knew the Lion had powers before he, himself, knew. The Lock Picker worried his lip. He knew why the letters were returned again and again to sender. Frederic had found him in the alleyway adjacent to their home address and taken him away. When Henri did finally return, the man then realized he was sending letters to an empty house. Ice Cream began to wonder what would have happened if Henri knew he was with his brother all that time.

After the second from last letter, Ice Cream rubbed his eyes, rather pleased with himself. He had read every letter and, apart from some slight tears, nothing had broken his mental wall. He was dealing with his past and was surprised at how strong his inner core was. He breathed in deeply, feeling tired and mulled the information over in his head. So what had happens was thus; Henri had gone out on a mission and not returned. Something happened and in between the time of his own collapsing in the alley way and the first letter arriving, he had left the apartment and gone to Frederic's house. Henri had continued sending letters not realizing his partner was with his brother. And Henri still had no idea. As far as he was concerned, his young lover had either been kidnapped or just upped and gone.

And the Lion.

Henri knew _exactly_ what that thing was. Was it a Piece of Eden? Henri seemed to be treating it as one. As far as he, himself, was aware, the Lion was a marble trinket with the word "Salmacis" carved onto it's belly. Nothing more. He didn't drag Henri into that antiques shop because he knew it was of First Civilization origin. He wanted to own it for the Salmacis claim alone. But he knew something was odd when Henri stole it from him, disappeared without warning and returned months later. They had fought then. The one time that they had- Wait...did he _still_ want the Lion? Yes. Henri still wanted it. Maybe...maybe the man didn't want to find _him_ but the _statue_ in his possession? Maybe he didn't care at all about his young "wife"?

Ice Cream coughed, feeling his heart in his throat, frowning deeply and looked at the last letter. He picked it up and did a double take. It was the most recent one. Slightly thicker than any of the others he had opened thus far. Dated to two weeks ago and on the front, instead of his name and address was a simple line:

_Iris. To my love, my world, now and forever._

Ice Cream began to prepare himself. This letter was not like the others and was written probably after they accidentally met in the court yard. Ice Cream pursed his lips. One last hurdle. He ripped the envelope open and unfolded the letter.

_Dear Iris, nineteen years ago I lost some one very precious to me. But today I found you again at the Assassin Brotherhood. Oh, if you could only understand how happy I was to see you! I understand that you did not recognize me for I am an old man now, and your loss caused me take on missions far away from Europe which have aided in my demise into age. But that is not the reason I now write again to you. I ask again for your forgiveness. I know I do not deserve it after everything thing I put you through. The actions that I did...I am not proud. Years ago I had returned to our apartment and sold it, fearing you were dead and there was nothing I could do. I fear that area of Paris has become a hive of danger, for I found old blood stains in the alley way that must predate the Revolution itself._

Ice Cream concentrated on his breathing.

_But that is in the past, for upon our meeting in the courtyard, I cannot tell you again how happy I was, for I had given up hope of us ever being re-united-_

Anger and sorrow began to well up inside Ice Cream's chest.

_-I was pleased to see you, not only alive but as a full member of the French Brotherhood. I had heard that a man, similar in description and current age to you, if you were still alive, had entered into the Creed. "Ice Cream" was his name. I had all but given up hope that it could be you, but copper haired Assassins are rare in the French Brotherhood. And that man would be the correct age of the Iris I lost. That is why I sought out the French Brotherhood. I'm proud of you. From that Lock Picking teenager with so much talent I saved and took under my wing, who made me laugh and constantly amazed me with an excellent tactical mind...people like that are hard to find, I'm sad to say. You didn't have to thank me so much for saving you from a life at that horrific brothel. I know you were to be put to work keeping security with your lock making talents but how long would that have continued until the owners found another use for you? I could not have that. Which is why I bought you from them. I hope my lessons to you in Lock Picking have served you well all these years... I hear you have taken another lover._

Ice Cream took in a huge breath and gripped the seat with his good hand, feeling fear and anger.

_I do not pose a threat to him. As a lover, he is well suited to you, as painful as it is for me to say. You might be pleased to know he snuck into my room to assess me. He inquired as to who I was and I told the truth. He was terrified, that I could tell, which meant you chose to keep me a secret from him. I would be lying if some part of me didn't wish to restart our lives as the legally married couple that we are but having him as your new bed fellow, in my absence, you chose wisely. Myself and the lad spent time talking about Lock Making and, I must admit, felt pleased to tutor a younger Lock Smith. He has talent and with you, he might surpass even myself.  
_

Ice Cream didn't realize his jaw was going numb.

_Thank you so much for staying by my side all those years ago, even though I told you you didn't have to stay with me. You owed me nothing. Even the coin I gave you to start a new life, you do not owe me back. Even the Lion is yours.  
_

Ice Cream breathed faster, quickly looking away from the letter before dragging his eyes back.

_The Lion Statue that I bought for you...did you realize just what you had found? I can still see your face when you spotted it. So eager, so excited and I wonder now if you knew just what that thing was. I doubt it. Neither of us knew the power that rock contained. You had every right to be angry with me when I took it to the Brotherhood to be examined. You had no idea who the Brotherhood was. Neither of Assassins nor Templars nor Pieces of Eden and...I am ashamed, to this very day, at my actions towards you when I returned to you at our apartment. I was not a man. A man does not lash out in that most shameful way. But yet, you forgave me for my trespass and the subsequent time we then spent together... when you still knew nothing of my connections to being an Assassin...you never left.  
_

Ice Cream coughed, feeling his chest constricting, brushing those annoying wet spots of water off of the ink, only making the words smudge.

_I'm so sorry I had to keep my true work from you. I was terrified you'd be scared and leave if you ever knew the truth. I was tormented that you'd think less of me and yet I couldn't believe it when love bloomed between us so unexpectedly.... and when you accepted my marriage proposal I was, honestly, stunned beyond reason. Love was the last thing on my mind when I pulled you out of your poverty but there is something about you that fascinates me so, which does not exclusively mean your unique dual-sexed body. Your mind was what captivated me and still does, years later. Even if you don't recognize me. Words cannot describe how I feel about you coming back from the dead._

God damn it, why was his vision blurring?! _  
_

_I have a purpose in life again. I feel I must have missed some sign of your being alive all these years. I had even visited my brother and his partner Camille, soon after you disappeared, but I was turned away. I have not been on good terms with them, I suspect since I married you and decided to keep my Assassin connections a secret from you. They do not understand. When I stood at their door pleading with them to tell me if they had any news or knowledge where you might be; they had said you had fled to Austria. I got no other word from my brother. I left for Austria that night as I fear I had encroached on Camille, for upon leaving their apartment I heard the cry of a new born ba-_

Ice Cream cracked. He doubled over pressing the letter painfully to his face with his good hand and sobbed deep and guttural as the emotions he had kept at bay for all these years overwhelmed him and took over. The sounds of anguish echoed off the walls and down the corridor as he wept. He breathed in a painful breath and wailed loudly, not caring if he was heard. Ice Cream slowly curled up in the arm chair, crying out all the hurt and confusion he had kept bottled up until there were no more tears left. He weakly tried to swallow but his throat hurt too much to do so until he closed his eyes, numb to the world, head pounding, not noticing the plaster cast on his wrist had cracked in two.

~

Green Coat twitched against the cold wooden table in a cloud of alcohol as Arno and Mirabeau nattered on. He fell deeper and deeper into his mind, the whiskey aiding him downwards and into darkness. He was warm. He was safe. But most of all that meal he was eating was oh so tasty. Perhaps if he was good and ate all his greens, as disgusting as they were, then Uncle Fred or Auntie Camille will give him a sugar biscuit or two.

He always liked those.

Three year old Vincent sat looking around the large kitchen, swinging his chubby legs backwards and forwards as Auntie Camille walked past his chair behind him. He scratched at an odd itch at his forehead before he saw his adoptive mother. Baby Vincent smiled and held out his small plate triumphantly towards her.

"Oh well done, Vincent," the twenty year old woman smiled, taking the plate from him and wiping his mouth with a small handkerchief, "eating your greens will make you strong-"

THUMP!

Both the toddler and woman jumped at the sound and looked to their right just as the door to their apartment slammed open and a large wailing figure, green hood covering their face, stormed into the kitchen. Vincent felt a chill down his small spine at the creature emerging into the warm room. It looked like Uncle Fred but it was howling high and shrill, until the toddler realized Uncle Fred was holding The Loud Thing. A long torn cloth of white and grey covered Uncle Fred's arms, with something red staining one half. The sudden smell of pungent iron hit the little boy's nose who made a face of disgust.

"Wha-Frederic, what's happened?" the young woman blurted to the Assassin, dropping the handkerchief onto the floor and dashed after Frederic with the figure in his arms.

Baby Vincent heard the noise still crying out, even as it was taken to the bedroom across from the kitchen. Loud and demanding. He wrinkled his nose up more. Couldn't that noisy thing be quiet? He looked round, scratching at that odd itch on side of his forehead, to ask Auntie Camille what it was, but she had gone. He looked around, highly confused in the dark kitchen for his adoptive mother, feeling very, very alone. He saw her pale blue handkerchief lying on the wooden floor. Three year old Vincent wiggled in his high chair and tried to reach down for it but it was too far away. He tried again but it was in vain. He let out a sob of frustration but stopped as he saw his adoptive mother open the bedroom door, half stepping back into the kitchen from the room where that loud thing was still screaming.

"Oh, Jesus, Fred-"

"Quick get the kit or they'll both die-"

Baby Vincent screwed up his face and shoved both his hands to his ears as the howling continued. That thing wouldn't stop crying and it was so _annoying!_ The toddler pouted, looking over to the room with the open door. Why couldn't that thing go away? Why did it come in here? Suddenly Camille ran back into the kitchen. Baby Vincent smiled and reached out to her. He was scared and unsure of this thing Uncle Fred had brought back and wanted a hug of reassurance. But as he wiggled he saw Camille yank a high cupboard open, pulling a tin box out where he knew nasty tasting medicine was kept in, two other small boxes falling on the floor and ran back into loud the room.

"Cami! Cami!" Vincent called out to her but his voice was drowned out by the mewling thing getting louder. He felt tears come to his eyes as he watched her go. They had forgotten about him. How could they? He was their child, why were they suddenly so interested in what Uncle Fred brought back? What was it? Was it a Kitty? It sounded like a mean old cat. He sobbed slightly as the sound hurt his tiny ears and he pressed his fists against them, shaking his head. Yes, it had to be a cat. Like the one that scratched him when he tried to pet it. Nothing like the nice kittens he had petted before. So soft and warm. But this thing? It sounded like a very mean cat.

Three year old Vincent saw his adoptive mother run back in the bedroom, but the door, instead of snapping shut, bounced back, failing to shut behind her. Vincent paused, curiosity taking over, keeping his hands to his ears. He could see Uncle Fred moving around inside the tiny bedroom fast and...there was a person...a person whom he didn't recognize, lying with their back to him on the bed. Must be a women, he concluded as the figure's dress was filthy grey and she was not moving. He saw his Uncle Fred and Auntie Camille's mouths moving, and Auntie Camille was holding something in her arms. Was it a cat? It looked small, and it seemed that it was making that loud sound. Only kittens did that when they lost their mamas. So yes it was a kitten! Oh, perhaps it was a kitten for him to play with! Baby Vincent, hope in his tiny heart, took his hands away from his small ears and tried to sit up higher to see the kitten.

"-there and take the child," Fred said, sitting down at the side of the bed, tending to the unconscious person.

"Who is it?"

"I have a bet, but...Gods above, I hope I'm wrong," Baby Vincent heard Fred say with a heavy sigh. If Auntie Camille and Uncle Fred had bought him a kitten then he wanted to see! Maybe that person on the bed fell over trying to bring them a kitten? He himself had tripped up the stairs to their apartment and banged his knee, making red stuff come out of it until Auntie Camille made it all better. Poor person, they needed to be more careful with those stairs. Three year old Vincent felt around the side of his high chair and pushed a weak connecting piece of wood. It unhinged and he climbed off of his seat and landed with a "hmph!" on the wooden floor. After a couple of stumbles trying to stand up, he leaned on the table's legs, steadying himself before pushing himself off as he began to toddle towards the semi opened door as the two adults continued talking about things he didn't know. The closer he toddled, the more his baby heart laughed for joy. He had a kitten all his own! Why were they hiding it? Was it a surprise? He liked surprises! Toddler Vincent reached out to push the enormous wooden door open with a chubby fist as he peeked in and upwards. He saw a large bed looming and Auntie Camille off to his left, holding a small crying bundle in her arms. Yes it was a kitten! They had got him a kitten! With joy he pushed into the room through the small gap and beamed pointing to the bundle.

"Kitty!"

"Vincent!" Camille called, shocked and before he knew it, the small boy was lifted up into the air by strong hands.

"Woah, no, no, Vince. Back to the kitchen," Frederic said, hefting him up against his Assassin green coated chest then added, "...be a good boy and don't look."

Three year old Vincent felt the man turn with him in his arms, his head being shielded, preventing him from looking at the scene behind them.

"Kitty! Kitty! I want Kitty!" Vincent called, trying to point to the bundle in Camille's arms as he was carried back to his high chair. Why couldn't he see the kitty? He began to fuss and wiggle in the man's grasp, a tantrum not far behind.

"Camille, take him, I'll look after the baby."

 Vincent paused.

A baby?

Oh...not a kitty?

Oh...

Three year old Vincent felt himself being placed back into his high chair and Uncle Fred leave him. The odd crying bundle was passed from Auntie Camille to Uncle Fred as she came over and kissed his forehead reassuringly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Vincent. How on earth did you get out of that chair? You little escape artist, let's get you a sugar biscuit."

"Oui!" The boy smiled, all thoughts and tantrums of his supposed pet kitten gone.

The young woman put all the scattered boxes back into the cupboards, casting nervous looks to the side bedroom, as Baby Vincent licked his lips. He loved sugar biscuits and wasted no time on chomping down on one as Camille handed it to him just as a very tired and strained looking Frederic joined them. He shut the bedroom door, the loud sounds from within had quietened down now, and he exhaled painfully, sitting down at the table with a thud. Frederic looked down at his green jacket stained with dark red stuff on one side and shook his head. He had a hand to his anguished face in deep contemplation, the green hood of his coat hiding his face. But it wasn't long before his eyes glided over to his adoptive son. He smiled and patted a three year old Vincent on the head briefly.

"What happened?" Camille asked, coming to sit next to them.

Vincent tucked into his meal, not really listening to the adults talking.

"I found them next to his apartment. The bastard left them..." Frederic said heavily.

"Who's apartment?"

Frederic looked up at her from under his green cowl.

"Have a guess."

Camille looked confused before horror bloomed across her face.

"Good Lord, no. _Henri?!_ "

Frederic let out a long sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose, mumbling obscenities.

A baby? Not a kitten? But it sounded like a kitten, three year old Vincent thought, finishing off his dessert. Hmm, maybe that person was _hiding_ a kitten _and_ a baby? He wanted a kitten and was sad that the adults had not given him one. He loved how soft their fur was, even if Uncle Fred and Auntie Camille would snatch his hand away from trying to touch one in the street, telling him it was bad to touch stray animals. His small belly growled and Vincent held the bowl out for another sugar biscuit, licking his lips in anticipation, but Auntie Camille and Uncle Fred didn't see him. Instead he saw Frederic grunt, nodding over weakly to him, hand still to his face, as Camille got the message. She stood from the table and picked three year old Vincent up in her arms.

"Come on, time for bed, little lamb."

"But-but-suga!" Baby Vincent called, trying to point to the box he knew the biscuits were kept in as his bowl was taken from him and he was lifted up into her arms.

"Tomorrow, my love, I'll give you another sugar biscuit," the woman said as she walked out of the kitchen quickly, "Good boys need to go to bed now. Auntie Camille and Uncle Fred need to talk-"

Vincent scrunched up his face.

"No!"

"Vincent..." Camille called looking deep into his eyes, smoothing some fluffy and dark hair on his head.

Baby Vincent knew he was pushing Auntie Camille and looked away with a pout and a scowl that he wasn't going to get his way, tears threatening to give way-

"Tomorrow you can have a sugar biscuit...how about that, hmm?"

"I want one now!"

"If you go to sleep then you will get a really BIG sugar biscuit tomorrow."

At the promise of a special super large treat, Baby Vincent paused, eyes going wide before he nodded.

"Good boy," Camille smiled and walked with him in her arms over to their own bedroom. The room was Auntie Camille's and Uncle Fred's but he had his own wooden crib which smelt of spices. He liked it, as it reminded him of Auntie Camille's cooking. She placed him into his bed, wiping crumbs off of his mouth, and pulled the covers over him, the warm fabric providing instant comfort. Baby Vincent looked up as she kissed him on the cheek, bringing over the locking mechanism for the crib's sliding side and quickly fastened it in the dim light.

"Goodnight, my little lamb. It's going to be cold tonight, so keep the blanket on you."

"I will, Auntie Cami."

She smiled warmly, brushing a hand down his cheek.

"I love you, little lamb."

Three year old Vincent smiled.

"I love you too, Auntie Cami."

With another kiss to his, still oddly itchy on one side, forehead the woman left the room and shut the door quietly. All was silent in the room but Vincent couldn't sleep. His forehead was still itchy and his dreams were filled with balls of fluff, mewling and crying. Frederic saying that when he was older he would get a kitten or a puppy and red...everything was bathed in red. Little Vincent cried as he suddenly woke up, hearing that mewling again. That sounded like a kitten! It had to be! Babies didn't sound like that, did they? Maybe it was hiding in that room. But Uncle Fred said there was a baby? Could he play with it? Would it be soft and furry like kittens? Vincent was curious. He had never seen a baby before. If there was no kitten then...he wanted to know if there was a new friend he could play with.

The little boy sat up in bed and pushed at the bars on his crib. He looked up and saw the fake lock that Uncle Fred would practice with him, teaching him how to pick a lock and fix it and...Auntie Cami had put it on his crib door. He looked over and saw a silver lock that usually was used when he went to bed, lying on the side. Did she put the wrong lock on? Was this a game? Oh! It was a game! Giggling, Baby Vincent reached up and unhooked the wooden fake lock as Uncle Fred had showed him. He scrambled out of bed and made his way into the living room.

Everything was big, cold and dark.

The high walls seemed to be staring at him as very faint and long yellow lights from outside streamed into the room, illuminating odd shapes of furniture.

Little Vincent shivered, scratching at his forehead again.

The darkness was watching him.

He whimpered at the unknown, taking a step back to the safety of his crib when a tiny mewling sound came from a partly shut door.

The kitten!

He quickly ran, tripping over his own feet a couple of times, terrified that the cold shadows would get him and pushed the large door open with chubby hands. The three year old peeked curiously into the dark and oddly warm room, lit by a single candle on the bedside table. He looked up and saw a sleeping figure curled up on its side, on the bed. A long green coat, that looked like it was Uncle Fred's was covering the figure and the hood covered the person's face, hiding them in shadows. In that person's arms was a small bundle. He crept closer and saw a tiny hand waving in the air. It was a baby. Feeling crestfallen that it wasn't a kitten, Vincent looked in further to the room and was struck by intense curiosity. Why did Uncle Fred bring this thing back here? Were they pets? Who was this person? Was she sick? He walked forwards and saw the tiny baby cooing and giggling. Why wasn't the mother waking up? Something caught the little boy's attention. The baby was playing with a small piece of brown cloth but accidentally threw it to the side, watching as it tumbled off onto the floor. Putting two and two together, baby Vincent opened up the door fully and walked in, over to the cloth. "Baby get cold," he said in his childish voice as he walked over to the blanket, picked it up and toddled over to the bed. He reached up and tried to put the cloth back onto the baby's legs but the bed was up too high. Vincent tried again and again, but each time the blanket kept falling off. The baby saw him and cooed, enjoying the game. On the fifth try, he succeeded, watching with fascination the baby playing with it again. He smiled when suddenly a croaky but eternally kind voice startled him.

"Merci."

Three year old Vincent froze, like a deer in the sights of a hunter. Crystal clear blue eyes smiled at him from under the green hood as his forehead exploded into pain.

~

Green Coat jerked awake against the table with a loud snort and a blinding wince of agony from his forehead, as someone shook him, his head ringing.

"Come on, son, wake up," Mirabeau's voice called to him as Green Coat blinked shocked and confused as to where he presently was, "You and Arno can stay here tonight."

"Mer...merci," Green Coat mumbled, blinking away the vivid and confusing memories before he looked up to see Arno watching him with confusion.

"Quite the dream you were having."

Green Coat blinked slowly at the Ex-Templar.

"What?"

"You were twitching against the table, boy. Thought you were about to have a fit, so I woke ya," Mirabeau said, taking the half empty whiskey bottle from the Assassin's limp grasp, "What night terrors were they then, huh? Guards? Templars?"

"Babies," Green Coat said, closing his eyes with an intense and exhausted scowl, rubbing at the wrap around his throbbing head.

"Babies?! Ha!" Mirabeau chuckled, nodding to the stairs, "World of trouble one of those will give ya. Now, to bed with ya, and stop touching it, you'll make it bleed. Gotta let it clot," before he turned to Arno, "Keep an eye on that forehead of his."

"Will do," Arno said, as they retired to the upper floors. Mirabeau's words to him and the assassination attempt on Green Coat's life heavy on his mind. But it was odd, the way his peer had crashed into the terracotta chimney. He had looked up and saw a sentry off to the right take aim. But the force at which Green Coat was blown sideways was unrealistic for a gunshot wound. His whole body seemed to have been slammed from the side making him hit into the chimney pot which stopped him falling off the roof instantly. Like someone invisible had ran into him sideways on purpose.

Odd.

When the three men reached the summit of the staircase, Arno handed the large man that scrap of paper from inside his blue Assassin coat, as Green Coat stumbled over to his old vacant bed, plopping down on it in a cloud of fine dust.

"Come back with us, Mirabeau, the HQ will be safer."

Mirabeau raised an eyebrow at Arno, took the tattered paper notice and read.

_By order of the Commune Paris, house to house searches are to be conducted to route out sympathizers to the King and Clergy. Anyone found attempting to disrupt proceedings will automatically be found guilty of counter revolutionary behavior._

Axe's brother in law looked up at the Ex-Templar.

"First thing tomorrow, us lot and me wife are getting outta this powder keg."

~

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Wings - This chapter was particularly difficult to write as I feel so damn sorry for Henri. (But don't fear, I cannot abide a sad ending). His character is very interesting as even after twenty so years, he is still besotted with his former lover, much to the problem of Green Coat. Or is it just a cruel emotional ruse to get the Lion statue back?
> 
> Moon - Incidentally, somewhere out there in a parallel universe, Ice Cream is kicking Wing's ass.
> 
> Wings - The next chapter was actually part of this one, so the next chapter (31) will be published in about a weeks time. Thank you for your patience :)
> 
> History Note:  
> What Mirabeau is referencing to in his talk to Arno, is the lead up to what would be come one of the bloodiest periods of the French Revolution: The September Massacres. With France now technically at War and with the knowledge that King Louis had tried to flee, the people's paranoia began to increase at an alarming rate. Rumors, supported by official threats from foreign powers, that there was to be an attack from within Paris, did nothing to help the situation. Revolutionary Newspapers, while not directly telling people to take up arms, were key in riling up a populist half starved and scared into taking matters into their own hands.


	31. A Betting Man's Game: Part Four.

~

CLICK.

Francois carefully pushed open the brown door to the long corridor, smiling proudly to himself. He had finally picked a lock and not broken a single pick trying. His fist one out in the field. If by "the field" meant the first dusty looking and locked door in the expansive Royal-Guest-House-come-HQ he came across. But still, better than nothing. Standing up from his crouch, he walked into the corridor, turned and shut the door. He turned the round silver knob and felt it give. Shit. Had he broken it? Francois quickly turned the knob around and around again, both ways, feeling no resistance. Yep, he'd broken it. Well and truly. Which was kind of the point, but still, he genuinely thought the locking mechanism would snap back into place unharmed once he had unhinged a certain part... Francois tried opening and then shutting the door again, turning the knob to lock it. But the lock was was still not connecting. Alright, he'd have to get it fixed. The nineteen year old crouched down again and began to fiddle with the contraption. He poked it here and there with a slender iron hook that Monsieur Ice Cream had given him and when he finally thought he had it, twisted the tool and the silver knob promptly broke off, rolling offensively away from him on the red carpet.

Bollocks.

He needed a Lock Smith and to pray that door wasn't important.

Hmm, perhaps Monsieur Green Coat could help him? But, wasn't he away with Monsieur Arno in central Pairs? He hadn't seen either of them in a while. He'd seen Monsieur Axe but the man was looking stressed and tired, hurrying around the HQ like a headless chicken, barking at other Assassins, along side Monsieur Frederic. Who else could he ask- Oh! Of course, Monsieur Ice Cream! He was a Lock Smith. Or rather a Lock Picker, but seeing as he and Monsieur Green Coat were close friends, they might have taught each other the opposite skills of their trade. Francois frowned as he put his lock pick away in a pocket. He was annoyed beyond belief about the whispered rumors surrounding them. A couple of rough looking Assassins had started rumors, that were spreading around like wild fire, that Green Coat and Ice Cream were in a sordid and seedy love affair. But that was ridiculous. Sure they were together a lot and shared a room, but they were not together in that manner. They were technicians so how else to practice your skills then working closely with someone who compliments them? Besides, Green Coat wasn't a sodomite, he didn't seem the type and Ice Cream...well, he was soft spoken, but that didn't mean anything. The sniggers he had heard coming from those who believed such rubbish angered him. Couldn't they see how amazing the duo's skills were? Those laughing Assassins were just jealous and thus had created something sensationalist to try and discredit the Lock Smith and Picker. As to why the rumor was gaining traction, however, he didn't know.

Francois walked briskly down the corridor, not daring to look back at the door he had rendered useless. He turned a corner, jogged up a couple of marble staircases and found what he was looking for. He had heard the ginger Assassin had retired to his room so hopefully that meant Ice Cream might be free to talk to. The tall man had agreed on teaching him a few Lock Picking methods but they had been lax of late. Obviously due to the elder man's Assassin duties but still, something in Francois's gut was telling him to give it a try now. To covertly ask Ice Cream about his past while helping fix the door he broke. Not that he hadn't tried in the past, but he always got tongue tied around the man. Monsieur Ice Cream would smile patiently, offer him a vague answer to what ever question he had ventured then, oddly and very quickly, change the subject. Monsieur Ice Cream knew something about his own past, that much was true, so why was he hiding it? Or was he just imagining it? Perhaps he should leave it to Monsieur Green Coat. He had, after all, asked the man and was still waiting to hear any news. But nothing so far. He wasn't sure if Green Coat had even asked his copper haired best friend about his relatives yet so...maybe now would be a good time to try instead?

The curly haired teen arrived at the white door, raised his fist and knocked on the door. There was silence before a faint voice called out that they would be there in a moment. Francois coughed, scratching at his dark and curly hair, waiting patiently for the door to open. When it came to Mousier Ice Cream, he felt nervous and excited. Like a younger brother seeking the approval of his successful elder sibling. Or a Mentor. He had imagined being the man's student which left him with great feelings of excitement. Being his assistant and helping out on Assassin Missions, perhaps with Monsieur Green Coat, Arno and Axe too. But he was still a Novice, or rather waiting to be officially admitted as one, just as soon as Master Connor arrive, but the thirst he had for the Creed was increasing daily. Monsieur Frederic had taught him and Alexina the Assassin's own backstory, plus pros and cons, of joining the Brotherhood. The two of them had a bet on who will be a full Assassin first. Francois had argued that it would be him, as Monsieur Ice Cream had been teaching him. Where as Alexina had argued back she had already gone on Missions with the Lock Picker. This made Francois chest hurt and face flame but he quickly regained his self esteem when people would mention he looked and reminded them of Ice Cream. He knew his mother and father would approve, his father especially. Francois the Elder had instilled in him, from the moment he arrived at their door, that bravery and courage were life long friends that one should never abandon. Francois coughed as he heard the door being unlocked. He missed his father deeply but was glad his mother was joining them soon. He was looking forward to seeing her again with a warm hug.

The door finally opened a fraction and Francois smiled widely at the figure in the door way.

Ice Cream stared at him.

Francois's smile slowly faded as he took in the disheveled man's appearance, feeling a chill of the unknown across his skin. Ice Cream's eyes were heavily bloodshot, circled and his face was deathlike pale. His cheeks were stained with tears and his hair was limp, hanging out of this braid that he always wore. Francois took random notice of the fact the man's hair was longer than he had expected. If Ice Cream had an identical twin sister, he would agree that this person before him was her and not the Lock Picker. Francois blinked, unsettled, as Ice Cream's blue stare bore into his. The teen began to feel like he had stumbled onto something major. Like the man had been having a break down and he had interrupted the Assassin in the middle of it. The boy swallowed and cleared his throat nervously as Ice Cream's piercing eyes never moved from his.

"Monsieur Ice Cream, are you...are you quite alright?"

Francois felt something shudder down his spine at the unblinking stare, nervously looking behind himself that perhaps the man was staring at someone else, then back at the ravaged looking man. He leaned backwards slightly, as silent emotion poured off of the taller man.

"Monsieur Ice Cream? AH!-"

Suddenly Ice Cream lurched forwards and wrapped his arms around the teen tightly. Francois's own startled blue eyes widened at the action, body tensing and freezing, as the elder Assassin held him in a vice. Francois stood frozen, arms plastered to his sides, not sure how to act as the man held him. Vanilla engulfed him and he spluttered, trying to stop the strong aroma from gagging him.

"I'm sorry-" Francois heard the man say into the fabric at his neck with a shaking and hoarse voice, "Oh Gods, I'm so sorry-"

"Forgive me, Monsieur Ice Cream," Francois said, trying to get air back into his lungs as he pulled his arms up sharply and put his hands on the man's upper arms, trying to push away, scared at the emotion pouring off of the Assassin, "but I don't understand what you're talking about."

Francois finally managed to pull back and away as Ice Cream blinked, looking at him. The boy watched as the man's face changed from some emotion he couldn't pin point to one of realization, blinking furiously, like from a daze. He finally let go of the teen, bringing his hands up to rub his eyes and cough.

"No, no, I... forgive me, Francois," the man said as Francois worried his brow, nervous of the Assassin's abrupt behavior, "I...I did not intend for you to see me like this."

Ice Cream began to pull his messy hair back into a braid.

"What's the matter?" The teen asked, not sure he wanted to hear the answer as Ice Cream began to compose himself.

"Nothing, just..." Ice Cream said, pausing to look up, making eye contact. He coughed and looked away, busying himself with his braid, "...it's something that I need to deal with. Pardon if I scared you..."

"You didn't scare me," the boy said honestly with an awkward smile, glad to have some physical distance between them, as Ice Cream finished tying the plat, "Surprised would be more the word but I guess even Assassins have their problems, huh?"

Ice Cream paused, considered something and then nodded with a sad smile. He sniffed, stood up straight, hands on hips and smiled as a stray tear rolled down his cheek.

"So, what do I owe the pleasure of your company, Francois?"

~

After what seemed like a year and not one full day, the trio of men and one urn, returned to the Assassin's Royal HQ. On the long journey back they had witnessed all manner of alarming things. Fights, protests, many house searches and the odd trader chasing them down the road willing to buy their horses. Also the odd trader trying to steal their horses which, more often than not, tended to be the same man. Every now and again Green Coat would groan, hunched over on his dark steed. Arno or Mirabeau would check the man's head injury from time to time, although after a couple of particularly sharp curses thrown in Arno's direction, the Ex-Templar gave up and handed the responsibility completely to Mirabeau. Arno breathed a sigh of relief when the familiar and large square building appeared up the path and urged his horse forwards into a hearty trot. He arrived and dismounted, offering the reigns to a Novice that eagerly took the horse and led it away. The Ex-Templar walked into the large hall and headed straight for the kitchens for a drink, his boots making clacking sounds against the marble floor as he did. When he had finished his refreshment, Arno came out of the door to see Green Coat being carefully led away by Mrs Breton and Camille who helped him into the nearby emergency infirmary; a storage room opposite the kitchens. As they did, the two warring Assassins caught each others eye. Arno scoffed as he saw Green Coat shoot him a filthy look from one eye.

"There's no pleasing some people," Arno said to himself before he heard a large Assassin descending the stairs from behind him.

"Hey, look who it is!" Axe cried, jogging down the last steps with a few huffs of effort, walking straight past Arno, "We got us a vagabond 'ere!"

"You're one to talk, you old goat, ha ha!" Mirabeau shouted and both men embraced, slapping backs in welcome.

"Ah, it's good to see you, Gab' ," Axe said, letting the man go with a large bearded smile, "Gotta be honest though, didn't think you'd want to shack up with us Assassins ever again."

"I already shacked up with you lot once, and trust me, I'd rather your kind than the blood thirsty rascals near me tavern."

" 'ello, lad!" Axe called as he noticed Arno nearby, warmly grabbing him by the shoulder and shaking it, "Good to see ya back. Mission a success-?"

A loud cry of pain that sounded just like Green Coat was heard from the infirmary room.

"More or less," Arno said.

"What happen to him?" Axe said to Arno, hands on his hips with a warning frown, "You two 'ad a Barney?"

"For once I wish we had, but no, he was shot by a Sentry," the blue coated Assassin explained, "Powder burn to his forehead."

"Ouch."

"National Guards are crawling all over Paris, Axe," Mirabeau said with a huff making his brother-in-law turn to him.

"Really now?"

"The National Assembly has declared Martial Law," Arno added.

Axe scoffed.

"I hate being right-"

"And this," Arno said, handing over the flyer that detailed what would befall those who refused random house searches, "Prussia has invaded."

Axe raised his eyebrows dramatically.

"So quickly."

"They were probably planning this the moment Louis was captured, Axe," Mirabeau said, both men watching as Axe read the torn piece of paper in his thick fingers.

"Looks like we're gonna have to step up our plans, Frederic will be pleased," Axe said hauntingly before he nodded to Arno, "We need to half the rations the Brotherhood takes up, starting today."

"Rations?" Arno said with a frown from under his dark blue cowl, "What does rationing food have to do with a Prussian invasion?-"

Another loud cry of pain was heard followed by Camille's stern voice telling Green Coat the stitches to his forehead were necessary and that she had nearly finished if only he'd stop fidgeting like a child.

Axe looked back at Arno.

"What _exactly_ happened on ya' mission?"

"We watched King Louis return and that was it," Arno said, tiredness creeping into his voice, "The towns folk were completely silent when the carriage rolled around. Later myself and Green Coat left the area and walked into a supposed illegal gathering of revolutionaries. Guards opened fire on the crowd, so we took to the roof tops. Green was in front of me, sprinting across the titles when something hit him and he crashed into a chimney pot. I grabbed him before he fell off the roof. But the manner in which it happened...it was odd."

"What was odd?" Axe said putting the scrap of paper in his chest pocket.

"The bullet grazed his forehead but it was as if something invisible literally shoved into his side, mid stride," Arno said, "The force with which he smashed sideways into the chimney pot, I don't think a bullet could produce enough force to do something like that."

"Oh, speak of the devil," Axe said under his breath as a figure trudged past them before the large leader called at the retreating green coated back, "Library!"

Green Coat stopped his assent up the stairs and slowly looked over his should at the group. Arno could see a black line of thin stitches across the side of the man's temple that wasn't hidden by his long hair. Green Coat blinked, took this information in and returned to making his way to said library.

Arno didn't have to ask where Green Coat was heading, or rather, who he was going to see. There was only one Assassin who considered the library home.

~

Green Coat, after the tip-off from Axe, searched for his lover. He walked slowly as to not aggravate the pain in his forehead, or worse, to split the painful stitches Camille had just put in. He gingerly meandered his way along the long corridors, holding the banister with one hand, mind returning to the vivid dream he had while off his face on whiskey. Strange, he had forgotten about that women Frederic brought back to the apartment. Probably she was some peasant but he still didn't know why his adoptive father acted so panic stricken, Camille too. Hmm, maybe she was a relative of Camille's or Frederic just took pity on her. He scoffed to himself with an ironic smirk. He never did get that kitten. Around a corner he walked and found Ice Cream leaning against the banister, chin on his crossed arms. Green Coat felt his chest lighten, a smile on his lips as he began to walk towards him. But what was Ice Cream looking at? He looked over the banister closest to himself and saw the man was watching below in the Library, Francois and Alexina laughing and joking with Mrs Breton and Camille's giggling baby boy. Green Coat looked back to his partner and felt warmth flooding his system at the familiar presence of the man. Green Coat continued to walk but abruptly stopped, seeing an expression on the Lock Picker's face he hadn't seen before. Green Coat frowned, the action making his injury throb. He blinked the pain away, smoothing his features out. Who was he looking at? Green Coat looked back down and saw his lover's eye line was directed towards Francois, who was holding the baby with Mrs Breton teasing the teenager that he and Alexina would make good parents. Both teens laughed and said they were friends only. The green glad young man swallowed. His talk with Francois still within himself, haunting the fringes of his mind and still waiting to be seen too. It was stupid, he had convinced himself, Ice Cream never had any children. Especially not with Henri. Many people were called Iris just like many people had blue eyes, like that blurred out woman in his flashback dream.

"Bonjour, mon amour," Green Coat said quietly as he approached, smiling tiredly.

Ice Cream, still leaning on his elbows looked up and across at the voice and smiled warmly, "Bonj-" before he saw the stitches on Green Coat's forehead. Ice Cream turned quickly and began to fuss over his lover.

"Oh my-! Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Green Coat said, turning his head away from Ice Cream's hands to his head, gently capturing one wrist in his own hand, before he saw something which stopped him, "...your wrist!"

Ice Cream paused and looked at where Green Coat was staring.

"It cracked last night...good to finally be able to use this hand," Ice Cream said, flexing his fingers now free of the restraint, looking back up to his partner as Green Coat stroked the skin at his wrist.

Both men looked at each other, the air heavy with the relief both were safe and back together.

"Come here," Green Coat smiled widely and the two men embraced warmly.

"Honestly though, are you alright?" Ice Cream asked pulling back, blue eyes connecting to pewter colored ones.

"I'm fine," Green Coat said breathing in Vanilla, feeling at home, the pain in his head abating, "It's only a graze. Having the stitches put in was worse..."

"Hmm?" Ice Cream asked, raising an eyebrow as the other Assassin looked at him carefully.

"You've been crying," Green Coat said, almost bluntly, to which Ice Cream replied with a delayed expression of surprise.

"Oh? No, no just um...peeling onions," the ginger haired Lock Picker smiled with a cough, "With Mrs Breton."

"Those must have been some onions," Green Coat smiled with a cocked eyebrow, discreetly and absentmindedly rubbing his hand at the small of Ice Cream's back, noticing the red circles around his partner's eyes with worry.

"Indeed, onions are so course with their language," the taller Assassin laughed, "can make a grown man cry...wait," Ice Cream suddenly said, eyes dilating, "Wait, wait, I've just realized something-"

"What?"

"The Lion..." Ice Cream breathed, before exhaling in self deprecation, "Oh my goodness, I am dense-"

"What?" Green Coat asked with a frown.

"You remember I said that the statue can hear?"

"...Among it's other talents," Green Coat said with an uncomfortable cough, feeling that familiar shudder of fear stalking him.

"Yes, but...it speaks Latin," Ice Cream said with excited eyes, "...and _only_ Latin."

Green Coat cocked his head.

"What are you getting at?"

The Lock Picker looked off to the side, eyes narrowed in concentration.

"...Maybe the reason why we can't directly ask it what is wants," Ice said before looking back at the confused Assassin, "is because it can't understand us!"

The two Assassins stared at each other.

"That...," Green Coat said blinking with stupefaction, "...that is so simple... and yet so fucking brilliant."

"Talk about an over sight!" Ice Cream laughed, blue eyes shining like jewels, the image going straight to Green Coat's crotch, "Come on, let's find Axe and Frederic," before Ice Cream grabbed the younger's arm and they sped off down the stairs. It wasn't long before they found the two men they were looking for. As they entered a grand living room, Green Coat indicated to Ice Cream to go on ahead, for the "speeding off" down the corridor was making his head and stitches throb.

"Hello, lads!" Axe called from a creamed colored sofa where he was eating a hunk of meat and bread, making Frederic look up from the large brown ledger that he was reading and making annotations in that was perched on the table in front of him. "Bonjour, my fellow Assassins!"

"We need to speak to you both, urgently," Ice Cream said looking between the two elder Assassins, eyes alight.

"Oh, both of us?" Axe teased, swallowing his dinner, nodding to Green Coat, "Picked a date have ya' ?"

"Funny, Axe," Green Coat said as he came to a stop next to his partner, hand itching to touch the irritating stitches in his head.

"The Lion, we found a way of talking to it directly," Ice Cream said with eagerness, oblivious to the tease.

"Oh?" Frederic called from the table, sitting up.

"We ask it what it wants, in **Latin**."

Axe stared at Ice Cream then looked back at Frederic who looked equally as stunned.

"Of course...," Frederic said after a long silence before laughing loudly, looking down at the ledger, "...of course, of course! LATIN! Haha! Bloody Latin! Well done, Icey!"

Ice Cream smiled widely before secondhand embarrassment made him cough at Frederic's laughing.

"Alright," Axe said finishing his meal of stale looking bread and standing up, pointing to the two men, "after we meet Master Connor tonight then we can try. But no one is to touch the kitty and I think you'd best sit this one out Green."

"Understood," Green Coat nodded, not wanting to add his mark into any more pieces of furniture, courtesy of ghosts.

"Green Coat?"

All men turned to see Camille beckoning from the door way, holding a small cloudy white bottle in her hand. "Pardon my intrusion, gentlemen, but could you follow me, please? I forgot to give you this tonic to help the pain."

Green Coat nodded, quickly smiled at Ice Cream who smiled back, and left the room, shutting the door.

Ice Cream looked back at Axe and Frederic, his smile fading. He nodded uncomfortably with a sharp intake of breath at the unspoken and sensitive question hanging in the air.

"I'll do it."

 ~

"I don't think you need me to tell you the Assassins' almost lost their closest link to the First Civilization on you little trip?"

"Then why the hell did Axe send me?" Green Coat said, eyes closed, feeling exhausted as he followed Camille into a vacant room. From the running with Ice Cream down to see Axe and Frederic, the wound or the previous collapse into the table he didn't know, but damn the floor looked like a good place to kip right about now. Or perhaps his vivid flash back of being a young child was bothering him more than he cared to admit. He saw his adoptive mother motion to a extremely welcoming couch and he sat down with a sigh, his feet thanking him, "In fact, why bother training me to be an Assassin in the first place if my blood is so valued?"

Camille came to a stop in front of him, looking down at his form sitting hunched over on the couch.

"Perhaps for your own protection?"

Green Coat looked up and saw Camille was looking at him with a raised eyebrow. He exhaled loudly before she patted him on the shoulder.

"You did well today, Vince. I know stitches are not the nicest of things."

"Thank you," he said quietly, honestly grateful she had put them in. He dully wondered where Ice Cream was now, as Camille busied herself with a glass bottle in her hands. Probably his partner was still with Frederic and Axe, talking about the damned Lion.

"Here, drink this. Mrs Breton says it will send you to sleep, but _apparently_ when you wake up the pain will be gone."

Green Coat shrugged, hand reaching up to take the medicine.

"If you say so-"

Camille jerked the bottle back from him.

"Hey, what was that tone, little lamb?"

Green Coat paused, hand out and open, looking up through his shoulder length black hair, before he scoffed a smile, "...don't call me that. I'm too old to be a lamb. A sheep maybe..."

Camille smiled and patted him again on the shoulder, handing him the small glass bottle.

"Frederic and I may have a son of our blood now, but that doesn't mean we don't still see you as our own. You came to us first."

"For which I am grateful," Green Coat said, shutting his eyes and gulping down in one go the bitter and cloudy medicine. He winced with a sound of "gah!" at the sharp bitter taste lingering at the back of his mouth, before handing the bottle back to his adoptive mother, eyes scrunched up shut and forehead throbbing. "I still remember you feeding me sugar biscuits. Could do with one of those right about now."

Camille laughed, putting the small empty bottle back in her waist pouch, "I made a mistake there, couldn't get you to stop eating those."

Green Coat nodded, before a vision of the blurred out woman with blue eyes lying on a bed came back to him, curiosity calling.

"Speaking of which, who was that woman?"

"What woman?" Camille asked, now parting his hair and checking her stitches over.

"A woman... When I was as child, I swear Fred brought a half dead woman back one day with a screaming baby."

Camille continued to check her handy work.

"Why do you ask?"

"I had a dream the other day... it was so vivid."

Camille nodded and put Green's hair back over the healing wound.

"Do you remember what she looked like?"

"No," he replied, feeling the medicine beginning to sedate him, as he laid back on the couch, closing his eyes "just...she had a baby with her...and blue eyes."

"I don't remember," Camille said after a distinct pause, "Perhaps you drempt her up."

Green Coat was so mentally and physically exhausted by the past forty-eight hours all he could do was nod his head, not sure if he meant it. He kept his eyes closed feeling the medicine doing it's work and fell asleep, not aided by alcohol this time, dully wondering why Camille was locking the door.

~

Ice Cream stared at the round wooden table with Frederic sat next to him. The younger De La Vert brother noticed one of Ice Cream's legs was jerking up and down rapidly, making the heel of his boot clack against the floor over and over. He reached out under the table and placed a firm hand on the man's knee. Ice Cream stopped instantly.

"You don't have to do this," Frederic said quietly, "You can still say no-"

"No," Ice Cream simply said, eyes dull, not seeing the table he was staring at, "I need to do this."

And that was it.

Frederic sniffed and moved his hand from the man's knee, taking one of Ice's hands that was resting in the man's lap and squeezed it briefly. "Good luck old chap," he said, before letting the Assassin's hand go and sitting up more in his chair.

"Ready!"

The white paneled door from the other side of the large room opened slowly with a creak and in walked Axe first, helping to support an aged old man on a walking stick. Henri de la Vert. The Assassin hobbled in with a few grunts, his long dark and shaggy red traveling cloak around him, dragging along the floor behind him. He coughed and gazed up blinking in the light, tired eyes searching the room and settling on the two men at the far table by the window.

"...Iris? Iris is that you?"

Ice Cream stared, eyes wide.

Frederic quickly cast his eyes sideways at the ridged Assassin next to him, seeing the man's nostrils flare as any indication to a reaction. He could feel the fear radiating off of Ice Cream and, apart from the obvious, wondered what else Henri had done to warrant such a reaction. Probably the letters had opened up old wounds, he mused, guilt fluttering in his chest that himself and Axe had to put Ice Cream in such a mental corner to begin with.

The large Axe carrying Assassin led the older one over to a wooden seat opposite Frederic and Ice Cream. He helped him to sit, and then took up a chair next to him.

There was silence as the four Assassins sat facing each other.

Birds called and tweeted from the open window with shouts of children and people down from below in the make-shift garden village.

Henri gazed at Ice Cream.

And Ice Cream stared back.

After a few minutes, Axe looked to Frederic, each on edge themselves at how this meeting would pan out. Hopefully with as little hidden blades unsheathing as possible. Get information on the Lion and leave the family politics alone as much as possible. After no one spoke, with both Ice Cream and Henri just looking at each other, Axe cleared his throat.

"Right, well...seein' as the cat is outta the bag, let's get everything off our chests," Axe said, breathing in, "Henri, can I confirm you are the Assassin Brotherhood's representative of Great Britain at this present moment?"

"Yes," the old man said in almost a whisper, eyes never leaving Ice Cream's.

"And Ice Cream," Axe said looking over to the ginger haired man, "can I confirm you are a full Assassin in the French Brotherhood?"

There was silence.

Frederic's seat creaked as he looked to his left and saw Ice Cream had frozen ridged in his chair. His eyes were wide and bright. Frederic could almost see literal cogs working in the man's head. No, it was more than that. He looked like a rabbit caught in the sights of a very hungry fox. Frederic cleared his throat awkwardly.

"...Ice...?"

"...Y-yes," came the almost silent reply from the Lock Picker.

"Right, next on the agenda; let's get this out of the way first. I don't think we have to tell you," Axe said calmly to Henri next to him, "but you and 'im are no longer considered married."

Henri slowly turned to him with a kind smile.

"Regardless that divorce is illegal in France as well as my home country?"

"Regardless," Frederic said firmly from the other side of the desk making Henri turn to him, "Besides you are British and he is French. Such a marriage can be annulled very easily in France-"

"Are you still British, brother?" Henri asked abruptly, his gaze deceptively joyful, "Or have you given up your loyalty to our country of birth-"

"That is not why we are here in this room-"

"Why did you leave?"

All eyes went to Ice Cream.

Axe and Frederic caught each others eyes and silently let Ice Cream take the lead.

"Because I had put you in danger," Henri said, hand on his walking cane next to where he sat, "I had made a grave mistake in who I trusted and thus, in retaliation for my actions, you were put in danger. That is why I left without warning. You were my associate and I was to be damned if that monster ever found out. But I chanced sending you a warning letter..."

Ice Cream stared.

"Who wanted to retaliate?" Axe asked, jaw set and elbows on the table, fingers intertwined together in thought.

"A man by the name of Frank Chervalier," Henri sighed, shaking his head.

Frederic narrowed his eyes in concentration. Chervalier? Why had he heard that name before...?

"Ice Cream, do you know that name?" Axe asked to which Ice Cream continued staring at Henri, ignoring the question.

Axe looked at Frederic, giving a cue to prompt the ginger Assassin.

Frederic turned to Ice Cream.

"Ice-"

But the lithe man got there before him.

"Why didn't you tell me you were an Assassin?"

Frederic and Axe watched.

"Because you would have run, Iris," Henri said heavily, "To know of what I did on a daily basis...you would have shunned me in a heart beat. I cared for you too much to ever jeopardize your trust... though I must admit, it is beyond ironic that you now sit before me as an Assassin yourself..."

Ice Cream let a ghost of an awkward smirk on his face before it vanished.

"So, now that is somewhat out of the way," Axe said, hating himself for the current situation, "...down to business. Does either one of you care to explain about this order to keep silent on the Lion Statue?-"

"I was seventeen," Ice Cream said breathlessly, making Axe whip his head round at him, "We were passing an antiques shop and it caught my eye. We went inside as I saw the word Salmacis on its belly. I pleaded with Henri to buy it. I had been given the book, The Fountain of Salmacis, prior and so...when I saw the lion had the name of the water maid on it's stomach..."

All eyes were concentrated on the Assassin.

"The fountain, in the story," Ice Cream continued, not all there, "...is located near the Mausoleum of Halicarnassos...which is guarded by hundreds of lion statues...part of me hoped this lion was one of them. Possibly hacked off part of either the Fountain or the Mausoleum. Either way, Henri gave me the statue. Later, I was holding the statue in my hands when we had an argument..."

"What did you both argue about?" Frederic asked carefully.

"A dress," Henri said from across the table.

The men were silent.

"I was beyond angry...so..." Ice Cream said in a trance, eyes never leaving Henri, "I threw the lion at him..."

"...and...?" Axe pressed softly.

"I received third degree burns," Henri said, pulling up his heavy coat sleeve to show an old burn scar. Frederic looked over and saw the deep and yellow scars that seemed to creep up from his brother's fingers up to an elbow and beyond, under his cloak. He was struck by how familiar those marks were and realized he had seen them before on the Templars that ventured into that trap infested tomb in Turkey. The evidence of someone struck by lightning.

"I was terrified of what I had done," Ice Cream continued, voice hollow, as if Axe and Frederic weren't even there. "Of what the lion was...He then left for six months before returning without it...."

"Where did you go with it?" Frederic asked, looking directly at his elder brother.

"I took it, " Henri said slowly, "...to the American Brotherhood. At the time, Master Connor was an Assassin and I felt someone whom would understand the power the lion might wield. I left it with him and returned to our apartment in Paris."

"Then what happened?" Axe said, eyes narrowed.

"..."

Ice Cream's nostrils flared and Frederic felt a spike of hatred seep off the man next to him.

"Ice?"

But Ice Cream stared, breathing heavily.

"Iris was angry at me," Henri said, staring at the copper haired Assassin, "...that I had given it away-"

"I threatened to leave-" Ice Cream said quickly.

"But you had no where else to go..." Henri continued, eyes squinting in the light, "...and the group you were running around with in Cour des Miracles had, over the years, moved on. You knew no one there anymore and thus were not to be welcomed back."

Ice Cream looked like he was about to jump the table and strangle Henri.

"So you stayed?" Axe asked looking at the copper haired Assassin.

Ice Cream jerked his head forward in a nod.

"Then?"

"...people began asking who I was," Ice Cream said in a small voice, still staring at the elder De la Vert, "Always had been. So Henri began a rumor...to pacify the neighbor's curiosity...and so I...I..."

Axe nodded to himself, knowing what Ice Cream had done.

"You chose to live as a female?" Frederic asked gently.

"Oui," Ice Cream said, then smiled, a tear suddenly falling down one cheek, "and I hated every moment of it."

Henri blinked sadly.

"And the Lion?" Frederic asked quietly.

"One night we had a fight..." Ice Cream said, still staring, "I was tired of being something I wasn't. Plus, he kept sneaking out. Returning with blood on him that I didn't know if it was his own. I was worried I was living with a murderer."

"What did Henri say to you?" Axe said, turning to Ice Cream.

"That he was a policeman of sorts. Said not to worry. That it would all be alright."

"Then?" Frederic asked.

Ice Cream blinked, "That's when he told me he loved me," the ginger haired Assassin said in a broken whisper, "...had...had always loved me. And I fell right into that trap-"

"It wasn't a trap, Iris," Henri said with conviction, "I loved you and still do-"

"The Lion?" Axe said loudly, trying to keep Ice talking.

"He ordered me to tell no one about it's powers over fire. Said if I was ever to tell anyone, then he would use its powers to harm me-"

"Because it's a Piece of Eden!" Henri said abruptly in a fierce whisper, "Anyone could have been a Templar. _Anyone!_ " Henri said, anger boiling under his words as Ice Cream finally broke eye contact and looked down at his lap, a couple of tears falling.

"Understand Iris," Henri continued, "I had to threaten you in order to protect you, to keep you safe, can you not see that? If you were to let another soul know about the Lion then the next thing I'd know you'd be carted off by Templars and God knows what done to you. Especially with you being a woman-"

Ice Cream looked up.

"What did you just call me?"

The air in the room turned deadly.

Frederic caught Axe's alarmed eye and both men knew the conversation was very much over. They had got what they came for. The Lion was indeed a Piece of Eden. Frederic moved to stand up.

"Right, well thank you gentlemen, I believe this meeting has fin-"

Suddenly Ice Cream stood up with so much force that his chair fell backwards with a loud clatter.

**_"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME!?"_ **

"Ah feckin' hell," Axe said, struggling to stand quickly, seeing the murderous look in Ice Cream's eyes, "Fred get 'im outta here-"

"Ice-!"

"I'M **_NOT_** A WOMAN!"  Ice Cream bellowed across the room as Frederic grabbed him by an arm.

"Gentlemen I believe this meeting is adjourned!" Axe tried to shout above the noise but Ice yanked his arm free with sudden strength from Frederic's grasp that the man was taken aback.

"So where were you then, hmm?! In Paris? In Austria? England?! When you tired to warn me via a letter I never got?!" Ice Cream's eyes flickered hard at Henri as Frederic tried again to get a grip on the man, pulling him away from the table, "Where were you when I needed you?"

"I'm sorry," Henri said turning around as he was lead away by Axe, "I'm so sorry Iris, I had no idea how much pain my sudden disappearance had on you. I had to make sure you wouldn't talk, it was for your own good. I had to leave in order so that you might be protected from Chervalier. I hoped you'd under stand from my letters, I regretted ever laying my hands on you the night I left-"

"You bastard, you have NO IDEA!"

"If ya didn't hear me the first time I said this reunion is over, Gentlemen!" Axe shouted, nodding to Frederic to remove Ice Cream from the room as quickly as possible.

"Forgive me," Henri said as he was pulled gently away from the table by Axe, "...please, Iris-"

"YOU JUST UPPED AND LEFT US!" Ice Cream screamed across the room as he was manhandled by Frederic towards the opposite set of large white doors, "YOU LEFT ** _US_**!"

"Us?" Henri said with a pause and a confused expression as Axe guided him as quickly as he could towards the side door he had entered, "Us? I-I don't understand. You mean you and I?"

"You-"

"Ice, don't," Frederic said, trying to calm a situation that was escalating beyond his or Axe's control as Ice Cream tried to fight him off from being dragged out of the room. He should never have asked Ice Cream to give permission to see Henri. Never should have caved to higher ups, orders be damned!

"You made me-"

"Stop, Ice Cream-!" Frederic warned, trying to pull Ice Cream from the room before the man spilt his secret.

"You made me-!"

"Don't!" Frederic literally growled into the Lock Picker's face, knowing exactly what the copper haired Assassin was about to say "... _don't_ do it like this, Ice Cream. He has no idea."

Suddenly Ice Cream stopped fighting and blinked rapidly, looking at Frederic, before he barked out a sad laugh, tears falling freely down his face. Frederic noticed somewhere in a cool part of his brain that this reaction could be a combination of having Green Coat break down on him a few nights back and the emotional fallout from Henri's letters. He thanked the universe at large that only himself and Axe were carrying weapons.

"That's the sad part...the part that finally broke my heart...of what could have been...," Ice Cream said as he turned to Henri, seeing the man looking over his shoulder from exiting through the far other door, "...he didn't deserve that, Henri. He was innocent."

"He?" Henri called from his position half way out the other door, but Frederic had already removed Ice Cream from the room, "Who?"

"I'll leave him with you!" Axe shouted to Frederic as the large Assassin finally guided the older brother out into a side room and closed the door.

Frederic pushed Ice Cream out of the door into a brightly light corridor and slammed it shut, trying to stop the man from re-entering. He grappled with the man's arms, who bucked, trying to shake him off.

"Get off me-"

"Ice, stop."

"I said get off me-!"

"Ice, stop, stop," Frederic said trying to calm the man down,"he's gone, he's gone. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry we had to do that to you."

Ice Cream continued to try and struggle against Frederic's lock on him, but the more he did the weaker his attempts became.

  "He called me a....he called me a....," Ice Cream spluttered in anguish before he paused and locked blue eyes with the elder Assassin's green ones, "Oh Gods, Frederic, I gave him away-" And Frederic did the only thing he knew. He pulled Ice Cream into an embrace as the man broke down in the younger De la Vert's arms.

~

"Is Master Connor still due here?"

"As far as I know...meaning he can show up at any time."

"You've been crying..."

"As were you the other night. It saddens me to see such a thing."

Ice Cream and Green Coat looked up at each other.

Having woken up from the medicinal sleep that Camille had put him under, Green Coat felt his head was much clearer that it had been in a long time. Not only was his wound now a dull ache but the fear that had been residing in his mind from the apparition he had seen days ago had all but retreated. He mused if having the presence of the other man near him could have something to do with the calm he now felt. He had woken to see Ice Cream sat on the floor next to the couch, legs crossed and deeply engrossed in a book. When the man had turned around, he had seen the title; The Fountain of Salmacis. And that the man's eyes were heavily blood shot and red.

"Don't cry over me," Green Coat said as Ice Cream looked back down at his book, "Or you'll dry up like a prune."

Ice Cream smiled to himself, closing the small book with a soft thud, sniffing.

"...Onions?" Green Coat asked after a pause, trying to lighten the mood.

 _"Really_ big ones," Ice Cream said turning back to face his partner, smiling before pausing, "You know what I think will set us both right?"

"A tumble?" Green Coat smirked, eyebrow raised with a half joking nod to the couch he was sitting on.

Ice Cream held up a pick, resting an elbow on his partner's knee.

"When was the last time we did a collaboration?"

Green Coat couldn't resist the sneaky retort.

"That wasn't of the flesh?"

Ice Cream smiled widely, shoving Green Coat's arm playfully and both stood up, heading to their shared room. They arrived, got out their tool bags and set to work. A few hours later as the sun began to set, the two Assassin's looked over their progress. The day had been, in Green Coat's mind, rather productive. The two Assassins had made several new designs with three of them promising new results. It was nice, this. Just to sit with another who was fascinated by locking mechanisms. To create and problem solve. They hadn't done this in a long time, Vincent mused, as he fiddled with the gold infused lock he had been working on ever since the day he had kissed Ice Cream for the very first time.

"Pass me that spring, will you?"

"Sure," Ice Cream said, leaning over to the small tin that contained an assortment of metal. He handed the other man the item and returned to his own work of screwing in a circular panel to his own lock. Green Coat looked up and smiled to himself, seeing the man was happier than he had seen him in a while. The red rings around his eyes had almost vanished and that spark was back in his eyes. He remembered the look on the Assassin's face when he woke up and decided now might be the best time to ask if everything was truly alright.

"So...," Green Coat ventured, "...why were you really crying?"

Ice Cream coughed and continued screwing in the small panel into the lock, squinting in the dying light.

"...I had some skeletons that needed dusting."

Green Coat paused, knowing to tread carefully and feeling like his mouth was about to burn with the next word.

"...Henri?"

Ice Cream hummed an agreement before he nodded at him, "And yourself? Why were you crying in my arms the other night? I'm afraid I couldn't understand what you were saying..."

The young Assassin scoffed, now trying to clean the mechanic and black oil from his fingers with a tired old rag as that inner beast of possessiveness and jealously  reared it's ugly head with a roar inside his chest.

"...I'm worried I'm becoming unfit for service," Green Coat admitted, "An Assassin that hallucinates is not good for business. Plus, I seemed to of banged my head against a bullet-"

There was a knock at the door followed by a voice that sounded just like Arno's.

"Green Coat? Ice Cream? Are you both in here? And decent?"

Green Coat scowled at the door as Ice Cream called out.

"Come in, Arno."

The door opened and Green Coat quickly looked back down at his lock contraption. The hell was that meant to mean? Are you decent-

"Ah, there you both are. Axe wants us in the Drawing Room before Master Connor arrives in an hour. If you can believe that-"

"I'll believe it when I see it," Green Coat muttered, before Ice Cream nudged him in ribs.

"Give us a few moments," Ice Cream said pleasantly, "...and we'll be right there."

~

Arno walked towards the Drawing Room, not bothering to wonder why Green Coat and Ice Cream were not following him. He had lost count how many times this elusive Master Connor was meant to show up. Anything could be keeping him. Storms up north, a missed carriage ride or the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse...whither or not the man would truly arrive this time was anyone's guess. But Arno had decided not to hold his breath. What he did want to do, however, was corner Axe on his promise of more information. He had done what the man has asked; gone out with Green Coat, completed a mission and not got into that much trouble. So where were his answers on what was going on within the Assassin Brotherhood? On what Axe and Frederic were secretly up too? What about the Lion that seemed to be alive and willing to burn who ever touched it? And where was his group leader exactly? As Arno went to open up the door to the Drawing Room, it burst free and Francois and Alexina exited with Axe holding the oak door open for them.

"Now remember what I said, food rations start now. Although for the little ones, nothing changes. You're in charge of them now, Francois and Alexina, got it?"

"Yes sir!" Alexina called as the now not so dirty looking children, Arno recognized from his time with Axe walking around town, ran down the corridor laughing.

"Understood Monsieur Axe."

"Good," Axe said, seeing Arno waiting, "Oh! 'ello Arno, come on in."

As Arno entered he saw Alexina and Francois walking down the hall, the children's laughter still echoing. He envied them. To come from the streets and now be laughing? He wished they could all laugh that easily.

"I'm a mamma hen looking after all my little chicks," he heard Alexina say proudly, holding hands with two of the smallest children, before turning to Francois with a look, "And you're a cock."

There was a comedic pause before Francois got the double meaning.

"Oi!"

Arno bit his lip as the mini crowd turned a corner and left the corridor.

"So?" Arno said closing the door and looking over at Axe by the fireplace, who was checking his dark beard over in a large mirror.

"So?" the man echoed, hand to his jaw and eyes at his reflection.

"Master Connor is truly to be here tonight?"

"Aye, that he is."

Arno cleared his throat.

"...So to kill some time, humor me. You said that you'd tell me everything once I had returned? Or did you forget about that, like the bet we had on you wearing a dress and dancing the waltz?"

Arno regretted letting a sliver of frustration out in his words as Axe turned to him.

"Ah, you remembered about that then, 'ay?"

"What can I say?" Arno said with a sly smile, "I never forget a bet." 

There was a creak of a floorboard and both looked back at the door to see Green Coat and Ice Cream enter.

"What you laughing about?" Axe said playfully, nodding at Ice Cream.

"I nearly got run over by some very small children."

"And I did," Green Coat grunted, trying not to touch the stitches to his forehead. He didn't realize kids could be so fast when they got a good run at him down a corridor. He still felt the impact of them all colliding with his legs.

Axe laughed loudly and Arno scoffed a smile.

"Well," Arno said, seeing Green Coat touching his forehead stitches, "Laughter is the best medicine, Green Coat, or so I hear."

~

An hour later, with the sun having finally set, stars twinkling in the night sky, the three men were still assembled in the Drawing Room. Green Coat was sitting on the plump sofa, eyes closed in rest and Ice Cream was next to him, fiddling with a musical box that he had found on the nearby mantle piece and taking it apart. Arno, on the other hand, had managed to pinch a chunk of cake from a certain Mrs Breton coming up from the kitchens with a large silver platter as she passed the room. She had added raisins and chunks of cherry, from the taste of it, into the cake's mix and was rather delicious, if he said so himself. Axe had left them to sort something out a while ago with the promise he would be back for he had to go and "tie up a loose end".

"Why are we here, again?" Green Coat sighed with a frown, eyes still closed.

"Axe wants us to stay here before we meet Master Connor...," Arno said, cutting up another piece of the white cake with his silver fork, nonchalantly, "I think he said something about upholding a bargain-"

“Lad?”

“Oui?” Arno called, taking another mouth full of cherry cake.

“Never let it be said that "The Axe Man" does not up hold his end of the bargain.”

Arno turned around, took one look at what stood in the doorway and spat the food out. Remnants of the cake splattered the clean floor as Arno tried not to choke on his own laughing. For standing in front of him was a sight he never thought he'd see outside of his most horrific nightmares. True to his word, if the Lion statue was talking like Alexina has said, then Axe would, what was it? Dance the Waltz and wear make-up too?

_"If what they say is true, Arno," Axe said turning to the Ex-Templar with a pointed finger, "I swear on me mother's grave I'll wear a fekin' dress and dance the waltz-"_

_"Promise?" Arno smirked, surprised that Axe had actually agreed to his jest and pleased the alcohol had well and truly left his body. Although he was unsure if the same could be said for Axe's._

_"With God as me witness, soddin' make up n' all!"_

And Axe had officially out done himself.

The white and pink dress he was wearing, however, was much _much_ too small, ripped in places where Axe tried to get into it. The man's face was covered in white powder with blue eye shadow that took up half his forehead and bright red lips that looked like he had used thick paint. A large white beehive of a wig had been fastened to his head using God knows what and he hated to think of the weight those golden high heeled shoes were being put under right now. How they hadn't snapped in two was beyond the Ex-Templar.

Axe watched with a hand on his hip as Arno tried to regain his composure, shaking his head.

“The things I do for you lot...but, “ Axe said determinedly, snapping a white frilly fan out, across his face, “A bet's a bet!”

Arno literally creased over.

“Mon cheri!” Axe cooed over dramatically with as high pitched of a voice as he could muster, that broke in all the wrong places, tottering over to the couple sitting on the couch.

Ice Cream was on his back, on the coach, holding his stomach and laughing so hard no sound was coming out. Green Coat, sat next to him, just looked on in utter horror and stupefaction of his ex-mentor in a frock.

Axe turned to his first victim.

“I do love your sense of dress, good sir, I hear Emerald is in this season!” he cooed with a flap of a lacy fan to Green Coat who stared like Axe had gone completely mad. When Axe got no response from the stunned Assassin, he turned slightly to the others with a pout.

“Oh, I think we have a shy one here!” Axe said, playfully grabbing the beak of Green Coat's cowl and sharply tugging it down over his face.

Green Coat jerked forward at the sharp motion, hands automatically going to his head and his stitches but they stopped short as he tried to process what was happening.

Axe next twirled over to Arno.

“Kind sir, would thou dance with me?”

“Not where there is a fair chance your lady ship will break my toes!” Arno laughed joining in the hilarity, making Axe snap his fan down with a gruff “Rude.” He then looked around and saw his next target. The frilly monstrosity made eye contact with Ice Cream whom was utterly helpless on the couch, gasping for air.

“And who is this young fine thing?" Axe nearly sung, scuttling over on his high heels, "I find your sideburns rather fetching, Monsieur, and thus I must insist that we dance!”

Axe grabbed the helpless Ice Cream, yanking the other up by a hand, held him to his chest in an iron grip and started an impromptu and highly ridiculous ball room dance. Arno laughed loudly, his stomach hurting as he felt tears forming his eyes. Ice Cream, on the other hand, was helplessly crying at this point. Tears of mirth pouring down his face as Axe danced with him in circles around the room.

“Why my good Sir, you seem to be amused by something?” Axe called loudly in his over ridiculously high pitched voice.

Ice Cream couldn't talk through his laughter, throwing his head back, body somewhat limp, as he bent backwards in Axe's twirling grip.

“Monsieur," Axe sung in his girly voice, "I cannot possibly dance with you when you are so titillated-”

“Ahem.”

All four turned to where the source of the cough came from and there, in the door way, was a Native American Assassin sporting a confused and mildly amused expression.

 **“MASTER CONNOR!”** Green Coat shouted, jumping off the couch in one swift movement and saluting. His green cowl jumped up and fell back down, oddly obscuring half his face.

Axe put, or rather dropped, Ice Cream down onto the floor, and both saluted, with the latter trying to suppress his giggles as there was an audible snap of a high heel that had finally given up.

Arno followed suit with a salute, quickly stuffing any laughter down into his guts.

Connor nodded at the salutes, the beads on his Assassin uniform tinkering with the movement before looking around slowly at the scene, a bemused smile on his face.

“Training...are you Axe?”

“Upholding a gentleman's agreement, Sir,” Axe said stiffly, all business.

Connor nodded thoughtfully making a noise of agreement, "Once you have finished, I have need for you and your group in the Library. Before I greet our Brothers and Sisters. Please join me there shortly.”

“Thank you, Sir!” Axe said quickly, before bowing sharply, causing a loud and comically timed almighty rip of fabric from his frilly neither reasons.

The men in the room stood stiff and silent as Master Connor turned and walked out, shutting the door behind him.

Arno let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding as Ice Cream laughed softly from shock as he turned to an angry Axe, whom was ripping the offensively pink dress off of himself.

“I'm never making another soddin' bet in my life.”

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> (Pardon the late updating; had more work this week than I thought!)
> 
> Celebrations all around; Connor is finally here! (Took him long enough)
> 
> "To have a Barney" is British Slang for "to have a fight."
> 
> History Note:  
> The Assassin's new HQ in this story is set in the Royal Guest House that was originally built for the King's mistress, but when the future King Louis married Marie Antoinette, he gave it to her as a present. The official name of the building is: Petit Trianon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petit_Trianon


	32. The Mentor: Master Connor

~

"You think she'll spill our secret?" Green Coat asked quietly, feeling his previously taken wallet sitting heavily in his jacket pocket, as they took their seats in the designated and crowded chamber for Master Connor's long awaited council meeting. The air was thick with professional excitement as Assassins young and old, native and foreign, mingled with one another. Voices of laughter could be heard from one direction as another more somber tone came from the opposite, no doubt the latter's topic was upon the upheaval France was currently going through. Green Coat cast his eyes over and saw the subject matter came from a group of older men by the dark night time windows. He noticed a couple of their faces were covered and wondered if it was part of their attire or just to keep out the cold. He drew his own heavy emerald colored coat around himself as he worried that Henri de la Vert was in the room as well.

"No," Ice Cream said, equally as hushed, sitting down next to his secret lover. The ginger haired Assassin looked over at the woman in question, who was chatting animatedly to a tired, if tolerate looking, Arno. "She's prone to flights of fancy but not an idiot by any stretch."

"How do you know her?" Green Coat asked, turning his head away from the older men and back to Ice Cream.

The ginger haired Assassin smiled, "You could say we're somewhat kindred spirits."

Green Coat stared at him blankly.

"...huh?"

Ice Cream laughed softly to himself as he crossed one slender, yet strong, leg over another and leaned back in his wooden chair. "Do you remember a while ago...I mentioned that there was another like myself in the countryside?" The taller Assassin whispered so only Green Coat could hear, "It was in the newspapers...?"

Green Coat blinked with a frown of concentration from under the shadow of his dark green cowl, a dull memory pulling at him before he paused, turning back to the Lock Picker with eyes widening. "You mean...she's like...like you?" before mouthing discreetly, "Dual?"

Ice Cream shrugged hauntingly with a smile of confirmation, pulling his own tanned cowl up over his head.

Green Coat blinked and looked away, knowing why he wasn't being given a direct answer. They were in public, after all, and Alexina probably didn't want her intersex secret as accidental common news as much as Ice Cream wanted his own biology known. Huh, another intersex Assassin in the Brotherhood. He would never have known and was curios why Ice Cream would let on about it. He was pretty sure his lover would not agree to Alexina telling Arno or another about his own duel-sexed secret. But then, Ice Cream wasn't Alexina. Perhaps she didn't mind as much? Green Coat looked over to the girl and saw her in a new light. How much was she like his lover? Did she bleed with the monthly waxing moon like women, and sometimes Ice Cream, did? Was she more physically male or more female? Green Coat looked at Ice Cream as the man casually waved to a passing Assassin. Ice Cream would argue it wasn't about what was between your legs that made your gender. Granted, upon the evidence of how they made love, one could argue that Ice Cream was biologically more female in that respect, but only due to his birth canal which was much like a redundant spare room, the ginger Assassin had once joked. Even though he had, what Green Coat would imagine doctors to agree on, a female reproductive organ, he once had a manhood that would instantly grant him access into the men's quarters...

Memories of the horrific acts committed upon Ice Cream in the stables two years ago suddenly flooded into his system and Green Coat closed his eyes to control his dark emotions. That monster may have taken the greatest male asset that Ice Cream had possessed, but its loss didn't define him. He shuddered to think of any man losing that part of himself. Something that, when born, the midwife instantly looks at to determine how society should thus treat you.

Are you a girl or a boy?

Green Coat looked over at his lover with hidden and soft eyes from under his cowl as Ice Cream smiled at Camille across from them, hand up in a wave. The man went through so much for him and yet here they were. Still together as a couple. With the horrendous mental and physical scars to prove it. He wished they could give back their history. To start afresh without being kidnapped and held at the mercy of one whom knew not what the word meant. Green Coat felt the old scars on his back begin to itch, as a flame of awe flickered in his chest warming his soul, remembering how the shy ginger Assassin had fought back vehemently. How his body had healed itself over those five weeks in the Assassin infirmary despite the intimate trauma it had gone through. And the branding on Ice Cream's palms...

The sudden want to touch the man grew. Green Coat wanted to squeeze Ice Cream's hand in reassurance. That he would always be there for him, but damn it, they were in public. He had to hold back. Unconsciously he leaned his body more towards his partner's. Ice Cream did a good job of projecting a male persona just as well as any man. Obviously they had both heard chatter that the man was bordering on effeminate, but to hell with that. Who gave a shit if Ice Cream's soft and shy personality reminded them of a woman? He knew just how much the man could shove a hidden blade into a Templar's neck as the next Assassin. Anyway, what was he meant to do? Slap woman's arses and spit on the ground to prove his masculinity? Green Coat didn't do any of those things and no one questioned his-

"I see you're deep in your own mind, there," Ice Cream said softly with half a smile, "But not too deep, I hope?"

The twenty-two year old snorted, realizing his eyes had glazed over and looked away before very quietly adding, "Just imagining you as an alpha male."

Green Coat smiled with a scoff as Ice Cream reached over with a hand and shoved his head to the side playfully.

"Aye, that I am, ya bloody tosser!" Ice Cream said with an Axe-like macho grunt and a secret meaning of a hidden smirk which made Green Coat smirk back. Nothing going on here, folks. Just two men being dicks to each other, calling names. Ahh~ nothing like a strictly platonic and non sexual friendship between two male Assassins, now was there?

Green Coat suddenly noticed Ice Cream nervously flick his eyes to the men sitting behind them and then away again. The young Assassin didn't have to ask. The men were staring at their backs. He had a feeling a rumor was going around about them both being sodomites, but pff, to hell with it, twas only a rumor. They had both prepared for it. Prepared for the possibility a rumor would start as they were hardly seen apart. But so had any male Assassins in groups of two or more that shared a room.

Ice Cream coughed and scratched at a large auburn side burn.

Yes, Ice Cream was male, Green Coat agreed. Heck, he even had side burns when even he, himself, had trouble with in that department. Facial hair was a topic both discussed at length. Ice Cream being envious of the ease at which a stubble grew upon his partner's face and Green Coat envious of the fact the Lock Picker didn't have to shave his face every twelve hours. The young man laughed to himself as he remembered once Ice Cream had woken up from a nightmare believing that his sideburns had vanished. To say Ice Cream was proud of them was an understatement.

Green Coat coughed again. He could never see his partner as a woman, wearing a dress or complaining about large breasts. He tried to imagine Ice Cream in Camille's frock and it just didn't fit. Hell, in the Assassin's records he was classed as officially male. So that meant Alexina more than likely would have written "female" in the corresponding box upon her addition to being an Assassin. Well, a Novice really, but soon to be a full member along with Francois.

Green Coat continued to muse as more Assassins filled the room, taking up seats or standing where there were non. He had heard that the two teenagers were the only Novices currently being put through the first stages of training to fight Templars. While looking after the gaggle of street children Axe and Arno had come back with. A tough memory of Axe drilling his twelve year old self on the tenants of the Creed, in the pouring rain, while feeling like his lungs were going to give out from all that running, surfaced. Green Coat wished the two teens luck. They were going to need it. Green Coat coughed to himself, trying to ignore the last conversation he had with Francois on how much he looked like Ice Cream-

"I can hear you thinking," Ice Cream nearly sung under his breath as two blue eyes looked at him, sparkling in the candle light that was now being lit around the room.

"I'm wondering why you're even sitting next to me," Green Coat said with a smirk of his own, "I would have thought the moment she joined you'd both be bosom companions?"

"Alexina? Well, we may be the same but that doesn't mean we have to like each other," Ice Cream smiled, "But I like her, wallet incident aside," he breathed, shifting his body upwards more towards Green Coat as he smoothed out the coat tails of his Assassin uniform before he sat back down on them.

Green Coat could smell a strong scent of vanilla as the man moved and he felt that cloud of ecstasy wash over him, heading straight to his loins.

"We're human. We have different personalities. Just because we have similarities doesn't mean we have to get along," Ice Cream said with a smile, "Like how you and Arno are the same age, yet...?"

"Point taken," Green Coat mumbled, his lust cooling as he folded his hands over his lap. He looked up suddenly as a few Assassins walked past them, taking vacant seats around small mahogany tables. He still couldn't believe that Alexina had figured out they were in a relationship. But then she had literally walked in on them post sex. He had been worried that she would blab to those not in the know, but had seen how Ice Cream was handling the situation who, apart from being terribly embarrassed, didn't seem the slightest bit concerned. Green Coat had his own misgivings about Alexina knowing their intimate secret, but had decided to trust his elder partner on how to approach the matter. Green Coat looked over to Arno next Alexina. He wondered if Ice Cream was aware that the Templar twat knew about their relationshi-

"Excuse me, please," a young and blonde haired woman asked with an apologetic smile as she shimmied her way around Green Coat's chair, back against the Assassins who were standing next to the adjacent wall.

Green Coat shuffled his chair up as far as it would go, next to Ice Cream's, as she passed with a grateful "Merci" and a surprised yet pleasant, "Oh, hello again, Green Coat." He half heartily waved and paused as he watched her go. She was the woman he was meant to have "mated" with to produce an heir to his First Civilization bloodline or what ever the hell lunacy it was. He mentally cursed his ancestors for getting involved in the ridiculous business of "The Shroud of Eden" and that mysterious being "Consus". Personally he had never heard the being talk either in or out of his head, but he vividly remembered his father talking to someone invisible when he was a child. It was one of the only happy memories he had of his father. A delayed cold feeling of stabbing hatred and betrayal seeped into his chest as he pursed his lips. He had loved his father but couldn't believe he turned into a Templar. He would act when he saw the evidence for himself. Shaking himself from that dark thought, Green Coat turned his attention back to the room. He was beyond pleased that neither the blonde haired woman, nor Axe, had cornered him recently about the "baby" matter. He hoped they had both forgotten about the arrangement, if that was possible. The Lock Smith felt Ice Cream's eyes on him as he turned back to his partner.

"Was that _her?_ " Ice Cream asked wide-eyed and excited before he turned around in his seat to get a better look.

"Yes, and for God's sake, don't stare. It's unsettling," Green Coat muttered. He really didn't like the Creed sponsored adultery he had been ordered to commit.

"Bloody hell, she's gorgeous," Ice Cream said.

Green Coat pulled a face and looked away at the beyond awkward situation, wishing the woman hadn't passed them, as Ice Cream whistled after her.

The woman turned around and gave the ginger Assassin a look that was half shocked and half "in your dreams, pal."

"What the...," Green Coat said stunned, looking around at Ice Cream, "Ice, you're not meant to like it, you know," Green Coat whispered quickly, "And what's gotten into you?"

"Who said anything about me liking it?" Ice Cream said and shrugged nonchalantly, "I was just curious to what the baby would look like-"

"Lord give me strength," Green Coat breathed as he tilted his head back and closed his eyes at the situation.

"Damn, if you don't want her, mind if I have a crack?"

Green Coat snapped his head round with affronted eyes.

"No, you may not 'have a crack'."

Ice Cream began laughing under his breath, chewing on the tip of a gloved thumb, as Green Coat suddenly realized that his partner was teasing him. But there was more to it as the secondary reason came to him. He saw what the man was trying to do as he felt eyes on his back from a collection of male Assassins directly behind them.

"You don't have to keep up the macho act, you know," Green Coat whispered as he leaned over to his partner, "I think the lot behind us have bought it that you're manly already."

"Really?" Ice Cream breathed with cautious relief, "Do you think I'm doing well as an alpha male?"

The twenty-two year old turned to him and saw Ice Cream smiling, eyes wide in excitement and Green Coat honestly didn't know if the man was joking or taking the piss. Green Coat wanted to burst our laughing as he shook his head at the bizarre situation. What had gotten into him? Why was the man trying to prove he was a dominate male? A vivid memory of the man slapping him on the arse and jerking him off in a powerful fashion threatened to make him hard. Green Coat coughed forcibly as he crossed his legs, hiding any potential arousal.

"What's her name?"

"What?"

"Her name?" Ice Cream repeated curiously.

"I... dunno," Green Coat mumbled realizing he actually had no idea.

"You don't know?!"

Green Coat huffed and looked away before turning back to him.

"Since when did _you_ start cat calling?"

"I read it in a book," Ice Cream whispered again with a shrug, "Frankly I think it's rather deplorable, it's not fair on the target. Tis rather embarrassing for them, but-"

"So why did you just do it?"

"It seems a very masculine and acceptable thing to do when around other men-"

"Not around Assassins and certainly not from you."

Ice Cream raised an auburn eyebrow.

"You can't tell me you've never cat called a girl before?"

"Meow," Green Coat said with a smirk and shoved Ice Cream in the shoulder playfully.

Both Assassins smiled at each other before they were asked to move their chairs up more.

Green Coat grumbled. Blimey, how many more Assassins were planning on filling this damn room? It was already getting too hot from the body heat of close to, what, a hundred people? Green Coat wondered just what the true number was as more bodies entered into the room, smiling and laughing among themselves. He looked over to the doors that were now finally closing as the room hummed with the voices of Assassins. The dark haired man paused, taking stock. There seemed to be many more Assassins this time around than before, during Frederic's theatrical waffling. But the people sitting and standing around them... these were not all French Assassins, surely? He heard Spanish being spoken off to his left and to his right were a couple of women talking in rapid Flemish. Why would other Brotherhoods be here?

Then it hit him.

Master Connor.

The man had just said himself he had stepped off a boat into France. Somewhat if a raging hail storm up north was to be believed. Odd, he thought the man was in Annecy... Wasn't that what the letter before the Storming of the Bastille, said? Turning his thoughts back to the room he was currently in, Green Coat continued to observe. The other European Brotherhoods must want an audience with the Head Mentor before he departed back to the American section. The dark haired man frowned to himself as Ice Cream leaned back in his chair, hands folded over his stomach and closed his eyes. Why Master Connor had asked only the four of them to join him in the library prior to this meeting, he didn't know. He had stood there, diligently listening as the Native American spoke, trying to ignore how Axe had looked in a dress. Master Connor explained in great detail the American Revolution, how France was helping to fund it and thus how it would effect France's Revolution. But above all he was pleased that the Lion Statue was in the Brotherhood's possession, complete with one of its diamond eyes. Both kept under lock and key between Frederic and Axe. They had all then departed to this currently chock-a-block room. Himself, Ice Cream, Arno and Axe, with the latter still sporting stained red lips from the ridiculous make-up.

Green Coat hid a smile under his cowl. Axe had a good sense of humor but what tickled himself the most was that the large man hadn't reckoned on the staying power of rouge. That made him laugh. Vincent wondered if there wasn't some part of him that enjoyed seeing Axe knocked down a peg. But it was probable, he concluded, considering there might be a tiny remnant of resentment towards his ex-mentor from his training days under the oppressive man. Actually that was a lie. There was a big part of him that wished to see that. Not that he wished Axe harm. But to see someone as authoritarian as Axe act in such a way was refreshing in an odd sense. He should make more bets with the man. Green Coat wondered if the Assassin remembered he had accidentally called him "father" once...

Ice Cream sighed next to him, shuffling in his seat and catching Green Coat's attention. The young man watched as Ice Cream rubbed his stomach.

"Are you still vomiting?"

"Huh?" Ice Cream said, looking up surprised at him, "No, no...just...I think I laughed a bit too hard at Axe's antics. My stomach is the one dancing the waltz now."

Green Coat smiled warmly and went to rub his lover's arm but stopped short with jolt. They were in public. He hesitantly then changed the direction his hand was going and awkwardly patted the back of the man's chair instead before retreating his hand quickly back into his own lap, praying those behind them didn't see. He had to watch himself. Granted a few in their immediate circle knew about their secret relationship, so stealing moments to show outward affection was more easy. But here it wasn't safe for such mindless actions. Suddenly he caught the eye of an Assassin looking at him from across the room, before the hooded man turned back to his talking friend, leaning on a fireplace mantle. Green Coat froze. Why was that man looking at them?

Ice Cream caught the hesitant action from Green Coat and began to look at where his gaze followed-

"Don't look," Green Coat said angrily under his breath, turning his head to look at the wooden and red carpeted floor. He knew that Assassin. It was the same one who had gone on about "he-shes" in the last meeting. Saying it must be a "pain in the arse" to change gender. What a prick.

"Who is it?" Ice Cream whispered.

"No one," Green Coat said, casting his eyes up quickly to stare down the voyeuristic man as Francois walked pass them.

~

"Look at them over there. Bloody sodomites."

Francois's ears pricked.

"Did you 'ear what Feather Frank was saying about 'em?"

"Yeah and the rest, but not too sure about the one with the sheep or them dipping their wicks in the garden. But then Frank says he saw the green one locking lips with the ginger not a fortnight ago when he went to get his blue hat cleaned."

"I wonder if all Lock Pickers like going in the back door," the second one said, "Lock Smiths too. Ironic, huh?"

The curly haired teenager tilted his head to the side, slowing his pace of walking over to Arno and Alexina, as he passed the two tall and rough looking Assassins by the dancing fireplace. He looked and felt hot liquid jolt inside of his stomach. These were them. The two Assassins that were spreading those horrific rumors about Monsieur Green Coat and Monsieur Ice Cream being sodomites. Francois swallowed as some where deep in his psyche he decided to change the direction he was walking in.

"I wonder which one takes it up the arse?" the shorter one guffawed, scratching his nose.

"Probably the ginger," the taller said, "He looks like the type to enjoy it-"

Francois snapped. Indignant anger welled up inside of himself and before he could shut his mouth and freeze his limbs, he marched up to the taller men. Time to stop these rumors once and for all. The nineteen year old continued on his path, oblivious to the fact that he was a Novice going up against seasons Assassins.

~

"I can't see anyone looking at us...?" Ice Cream said casting his eyes around, trying to see who his lover was talking about as people walked in and out of his vision.

"By the fireplace," Green Coat grumbled, secretly cracking his knuckles on his lap, "Next to Francois."

Ice Cream zeroed in on the curly brown haired teen and saw two tall Assassins by the fireplace. "Them?" he said, with raised eyebrows, "I've never seen those masked Assassins before...oh no-"

"What?" Green Coat managed to say but the other was already up from his seat.

~

"You wot?"

"I said," Francois snarled, stepping closer to the imposing men. He felt that thrill of facing those that were more powerful than himself. Something he got from his father, his mother would say. "What did you say about Monsieur Ice Cream?"

The two Assassins paused looking at the steaming teenager.

"Sit down, boy," one with a dark mask laughed, shoving Francois roughly in the shoulder, "We don't talk to children-"

" 'ere," said the other one, slapping a hand at the back of his friend's chest, before shoving Francois's other shoulder harshly, "...don't he just look a spittin' image of that ginger git?"

"Oh yeah!" the other exclaimed with a laugh, "I bet you're a catamite and all-"

"How dare you say such slander!" and before he knew it, Francois began to draw his hand back, completely numb to the room at large and to the potential consequences of his actions.

"Francois!"

Francois stopped and turned, seeing Ice Cream jogging out of the crowd nearest them.

"You're a pair of liars and I'll make sure all know it," Francois hissed back at the Assassins, forcing his clenched fist down, before he walked over to a confused and worried looking Ice Cream who put a questioning hand on his shoulder.

"Go on then, run to daddy!" one of them laughed, making Francois turn in Ice Cream's grip and launch himself at the masked Assassins. But Ice Cream was too quick and pulled the teenager away before he could land a punch. He took a seething Francois out of the room as the scene began to cause too many curious eyes to look their way.

~

"Francois, what was that about?" Ice Cream asked shocked, "Are you aware that you nearly started a fight?"

Ice Cream led the boy out into a deserted corridor and shut the door to the buzzing room behind him.

"They were disrespecting you!" Francois shouted in the silent corridor, anger at their taunting voices still ringing in his head.

"Who?"

"Those two scum bags by the fire place," the boy seethed, quickly pointing an outstretched finger at the closed door.

Ice Cream blinked and nodded his head gently.

"Where as I am honored and grateful that you chose to rush to my defense, I don't think walloping an Assassin in the face is a good idea-"

"You'd think different after knowing what they were saying about you."

Ice Cream looked at Francois blankly.

"Really? Why? What were they saying?"

"That you..." but Francois couldn't bring himself to say it, "...that you're a..."

"That I'm a what?" Ice Cream asked, an eyebrow raised and arms crossed across his tanned coat. He noticed the boy still wore the blue arm band he had given him. A feeling of pride settled nicely in Ice Cream's chest at the sight.

Francois closed his blue eyes and hated what he was about to say.

"....a sodomite."

Ice Cream felt his heart give out but didn't move. Instead he raised another copper eyebrow to match the one that was already up.

"A sodomite?"

"Oui," Francois said, upset and frustration written across his face.

Ice Cream paused before laughing loudly.

"Oh, is that all they're accusing me of?"

"How could they?!" Francois hissed through clenched teeth, "And they call themselves Assassins! I would never dare to say something that rude and vile. They don't know you, how can they say that?! I thought those in the Brotherhood had more respect for each other and...and...Monsieur Ice Cream, aren't you angry?"

"Why would I be angry?" Ice Cream smiled with a chuckle, "The amount of stuff that I hear behind my back about other Assassins..." Ice Cream waved him off with a leather glove, "They are just odd fellows with nothing better to do-"

"They said the same thing about Monsieur Green Coat, too."

Ice Cream stopped smiling yet kept a certain good humor about his face.

"And where on Earth did they get this notion, hmm?" Ice Cream asked, feeling his chest constrict with hidden horror as he tilted his head to one side.

"I don't know, those two in there said that some Assassin had...." Francis said, looking highly uncomfortable.

"Had...?"

"Had seen you both."

Ice Cream forgot to breathe.

"Seen us both?"

"Yes."

"Me and Green Coat?"

"Oui."

Ice Cream snorted.

"They're lying...aren't they?" Francois asked with a worried look after a too-long-of-a-pause from the ginger Assassin.

"Of course they're lying," Ice Cream laughed reassuringly with a lie, "We all have enemies and those who take a disliking to us. Perhaps myself and Green Coat stole their mission one time or something. But why myself and Green? Yes, we are friends, but nothing of _that_ nature, I can assure you." Ice Cream hated every fiber of his being in lying to Francois. But judging by the strong emotion of anger from the boy, he seemed not too tolerant on same sex relationships. He wondered where he gained this narrow view point.

"Come on, humor me," Ice Cream said, folding his arms again with a friendly smile, "What did they say they caught us doing?"

"That you two were...were..."

"Were...?"

Francois looked like he was about to throw up.

"Kissing."

Ice Cream paused before he snorted again, "I'd sooner snog Axe."

"But why would they say things like that about you and Monsieur Green Coat?" the teenager asked, looking strained.

"A million reasons, like I said," Ice Cream replied, trying to think fast, "I have many who I clash with, personality wise, as we all do. But does the rumor, or those two in there, say what this Assassin 'who caught us snogging' looked like?"

"Well, sort of..." Francois said, feeling his face still flaming red from embarrassment and anger, "That some one called Feather Frank said he saw you both when he went to clean his blue hat, I think."

~

Green Coat craned his neck to the shut door, wondering what Ice Cream and Francois were talking about behind it in the corridor. He had seen the near scuffle between the teen and the two masked Assassins and wondered if he should have followed his lover and Francois out of the room. But his gut told him his lover could handle it. But what was that about? He frowned as he watched the two masked Assassins laughing to themselves. Either way he wished his partner would hurry up and come back to him as he traced a thin line of dull aching stitches across his forehead.

~

"-and you know, the Mausoleum's ruins are rumored to be cursed. Probably by all the Lions that got smashed to tiny eenee-weeny pieces during the earthquake that destroyed the building, but then I heard there is a water trap inside, underground, and one of poison too! Gotta wonder why there are so many rumored traps there, but that's what Mrs Breton says. She knows a lot about this, Arno, I wouldn't have guessed it!"

Arno nodded, not really listening, as the Frederic styled barrier he had fashioned for those with verbal diarrhea shook but it was putting up for now with Alexina's torrent. Not that he wasn't interested in what she had to say, he genuinely was. But if Frederic could talk for England then Alexina could give him a genuine run for his money.

"Oh! Francois!" Alexina suddenly called and dashed from Arno's side. He looked up and saw her running across the room to a foul looking Francois, as he entered back into the room. Arno shook his head as he saw her bumping into Assassins who promptly chided Alexina on her speed. The Ex-Templar looked behind himself and smiled as he saw a vacant seat and sat down, carefully stepping round the throng of standing and chatting cloaks next to him. Alexina was never to be without enthusiasm as a coat of tanned white came and sat next to him.

"I think Francois's got his work cut out with her, don't you think Ice Cre-"

Arno turned to the person next to him and lost his voice.

A long and blonde haired Assassin with piercing blue eyes and a smile, that he would argue could unfreeze statues, looked at him with surprise. Arno coughed, trying to find his voice again.

"Forgive me, I believed you were someone else."

"Not a problem," the female Assassin said, extending her gloved hand out, "Charlotte Corday."

"Arno Dorian," he said with a smile taking her offered hand and shaking it, suppressing his desire to kiss it.

"I...recognize you..." she said, pointing at him and leaning back, "No, don't tell me....ah!"

"What?" Arno asked, a smile on his face. He recognized her too. The pretty blonde woman from-

"Monsieur Frederic's Lion Light Show," said Charlotte with playful eyes.

"Oh, yes," Arno said, feeling like a moth to an irresistible flame, "I remember seeing you nearby, looking up at the ceiling. Well," he added with an embarrassed cough, "We were all looking up."

Charlotte smiled before the noise level in the Library hushed.

Both Assassin and Ex-Templar looked up. Arno instinctively began to pin-point his team mates and saw Alexina had sat in a vacant seat next to Green Coat. Axe was no where to be seen and, wait, where was Ice Cream?

There was a respectful silence as a Native American Assassin entered into the room.

Arno couldn't stop staring at him. His Assassin outfit was covered in ornate beads that could rival Frederic's red sash. Around his neck was a leather string with what looked like claws attached to it. On his back was a bow and a large curved axe swung at his hip. His boots were of swayed or leather, Arno couldn't tell, but were tasseled at the top in decoration. His long coat looked like it came from a guard and was stained blue down two sides. Arno nodded to himself. The Mentor was an impressive sight.

"Good evening, my fellow Assassins."

"Good evening, Mentor," the crowd said in union as Connor took to the stage behind a large oak table.

"It pleases me to see all those under the Creed. Safety and Peace be upon you."

"Safety and Peace be upon you, too," The crowd said again in union as Arno, not knowing the proper response, tried to join in by mouthing a split second behind his peers.

"For those who do not know me, I am Connor. Leader of the Assassin Brotherhood of the American Colonies. I have been asked to take up position of Head Mentor for which I am glad to do so. My thanks."

There were words of mirrored thanks from the audience.

"There are many things to discuss. But first, I'd like to welcome a new member into the Creed. Mademoiselle Camille, may I ask you to come forward?" Connor said, offering his hand out to her.

Arno looked over and saw Camille walk up to the side of the stage and up some wooden steps with her husband Frederic, behind, carrying their sleeping baby son.

"Do you, Camille de la Vert," Connor said, "...accept your son into the Brotherhood of Assassins? For him to follow the Creed and to acknowledge the path of choice when of age?"

"I do," Camille said, eyes stoic and back straight.

"And do you, Frederic de la Vert, accept your son into the Brotherhood of Assassins? For him to follow the Creed and to acknowledge the path of choice when of age?"

"I do," Frederic said, almost failing to conceal his emotions.

"Then," Connor said, drawing out a small pot from his coat into his hands. He opened the wooden container and scooped out some red paste onto his fingers that looked to Arno like orchre. He watched as Connor gently smeared a thick line on Camille's forehead, vertically down her nose, then horizontally across Frederic's forehead.

"Tonight we welcome Germain de la Vert into the Brotherhood," Connor said, taking a small amount of red orche and gently drawing similar marks on the baby's sleeping forehead and nose, who wiggled slightly in Frederic's arms. "With these marks of your ancestors, we welcome you into the Brotherhood, Germain de la Vert. Safety and Peace be upon you".

"Safety and Peace," the crowd echoed as Connor put the small container back in a pocket.

Arno couldn't help but smile as the baby yawned and snuggled closer into the dark green jacket of his father, completely oblivious to the initiation.

"You may sit down," Connor said, as Frederic and Camile bowed and walked off the stage.

 "Many months ago," the Native American Assassin said to the room, "I requested that the leaders from all Assassin Brotherhoods in Europe gather here. Around this date. Would you, European Brothers and Sisters, please make yourselves known."

Arno looked up, hearing shuffles of clothes and boots moving and saw five Assassins, peppered around the room, stand up.

"The Head of the Belgium Assassins, reporting," a stout looking man in his forties said under a dark navy cowl.

"Representing the Assassins of España."

Arno turned his head around in the other direction and saw a tall and Hispanic looking woman with long black hair standing with her hands behind her back.

"Austrian Brotherhood," another female voice called followed by a male's.

"Prussian."

There was movement off to the side and an old man was helped up to standing.

"And The Brotherhood of England."

Arno was taken aback for standing up was Henri de la Vert. "So that's why he came back..." Arno said to himself as another mystery clicked, still not believing that the man had said he was his teammate's husband. The Ex-Templar didn't dare look at Green Coat or Ice Cream.

"My friends," Connor continued, "The Revolution of France has now descended into War among the European Nations. However, as we are of the Assassin's Creed, we stand apart from our governments. Here we are friends."

"The Belgium Assassins," the male representative said loudly, "...offer there sincere condolences for the War."

"As do the Assassins of España."

"Prussia agrees."

"The Austrian Brotherhood also expresses deep regret," an older looking woman said.

"England," Henri said in his tired voice, "...is sympathetic to the French Brotherhood and we offer all help in protecting and maintaining security within the Creed."

There were murmurs of agreement as Arno looked around, noticing something rather big. Where, or who, was the French Leader of the Assassin Brotherhood?

"Austria," Connor said, looking over to the female representative, "Can I confirm that your government leaders intend to invade France?"

The woman nodded sharply, her dark eyes steely, "Yes, Mentor."

The room buzzed louder with voices at the knowledge an invasion was coming.

"I don't know why everyone is so surprised," a short and black haired woman next to Arno muttered to her friend, "Austria has already invaded in secret."

Arno nodded thoughtfully to himself under his blue cowl and turned back to Connor.

"You may be seated," Master Connor nodded and the men and women representative sat back down.

"The War with the Templars is fluid. They are being affected by this abnormal weather and food shortage just as we are by the Revolution. The American Brotherhood has faced similar agitation during our own Revolution."

The air was silent as Connor continued.

"Templars and Assassins now need to find new ways to gain the upper hand. I hope we have such a way."

There was movement and Frederic walked up to the side of the stage.

"A few years go, I was presented with a Piece of Eden that I am glad to say is still in the Assassin's possession," Connor said as Frederic ascended the stairs with not his son but a package. He placed a familiar looking leather tube in Connor's hands. The man opened up the tube and out slid the white marble lion into an open palm.

Arno craned his neck to see if the stone beast was snarling or not, mentally preparing himself in case the thing tried to burn it's captor.

"The French Brotherhood has already seen the power of this artifact," Connor said, holding the animal up for all to see. Its stone face, impassive and eyes hollow. "For, I have been told, upon the addition of a diamond eye this Piece of Eden lights up the skies with what we call the Aurora Borealis. The Northern Lights."

There were murmurs and Arno heard a couple of foreign English Assassins muttering to each other if what the Mentor said was true or not.

"What happens if the second eye is placed into the socket is unknown. However, it has been brought to my attention that the second eye is indeed in the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. In Turkey. It is of paramount importance that we get there before the Templars. As such the following names will be going in two days time alongside Frederic as group leader. When your name is called please stand up."

Frederic handed Connor a sheet of parchment, exchanging it for the lion, locking it back into it's leather tubed prison.

"...Gillian Smith."

A large looking Assassin stood up across from Arno.

"Yes, Sir!"

"Beatrix Francois."

A female Assassin in a purple coat appeared.

"Oui, Mentor."

"Gerald von House."

"Present, Master Connor."

"Charlotte Corday."

"Yes, Sir!"

And so the names continued.

Arno strained to here if any Assassins in his party had been called, but as the names were read out, twenty five in total, no Green Coat, no Ice Cream and no Axe had been mentioned. Not even himself.

At the end of the list, Frederic took the piece of paper from Connor, rolled it up, and descended the small set of stairs at the side of the stage as the Mentor turned once again to address the room.

"Will the named Assassins please gather your things and meet Monsieur Frederic de la Vert in the main Palace."

Those standing made their way to the main doors where Frederic was, a thick line of red orche still across his forehead. He opened up the large white exit and the room waited for all those called to leave. When done, Frederic nodded to Connor, exited and shut the door.

"My apologies that his is a short meeting. However, your devotion to the Creed has not gone unnoticed. I shall now hand the stage to Mademoiselle Camille. Safety and Peace, my Brothers and Sisters. Together we shall win the fight."

A chorus in reply echoed.

Master Connor nodded and walked off stage, as Camille took his place.

"As this is the first time Master Connor has visited us in Europe, he saw fit to present each of you with a gift in recognition of all of our hard work. A gift that you may choose to spend how ever you may but we advise caution and preference to food that it is not currently being rationed. Please come to the front when your name is called."

The murmurs turned into voices of pleasant surprise as the American Assassin left the room, shutting the door behind himself.

Arno sat back in his chair as the names began to be called out. Hmm, well that was interesting. Sort of. He scratched at his ear as he began to consider all Master Connor had said. Things were bad in America, as was here in France, no surprise there. The Lion was a Piece of Eden, which now seemed pretty obvious. But damn it, why wasn't he and his team going to the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus? What about The Fountain of Salmacis? Connor said nothing about that, even though the marking under the lion, he would bet, was still there. Something very strange settled in Arno's gut. Like he had missed some hidden meaning or message-

"Arno Victor Dorian?"

Arno snapped out of his thoughts.

"Oui."

Arno got up from his seat, managing to avoid a cluster of Assassins counting how much money each had received in their mini letter packages and took the sealed envelope from Camille. He thanked her and turned away, pinching the envelope in his fingers and wondering just how much money was inside. He watched as a few Assassins talked about what they were going to do with their cash as he slid a finger under the waxed seal and cracked it open. He walked towards the door, looking forward to some food and wanting some privacy to count his cash. He peeked inside and found a wad of money was inside. Blimey, Master Connor was rather generous wasn't he? Arno quickly counted with a finger, flicking through the bills, before coming to a folded up letter. Satisfied with the amount he had, he picked the letter out and read.

_Arno. Do not react to this letter._

Arno instinctively slowed his pace but then forced his legs to speed up again.

_There is a Templar in the room._

Arno secretly looked up from under his blue hood, subconsciously stepping into the shadows, senses heightening as he saw Assassins laughing and joking with one another. A Templar was here? Arno felt his heartbeat quicken as he looked back down at the letter.

_When asked if it's your horse, say "yes"._

Arno blinked. What the hell, _"his horse"_ ? He looked up and saw Green Coat oddly standing by himself also reading a small letter. Arno's instincts told him to go up to the man and no sooner had he taken a couple of steps then a large and ruddy faced man opened the door nearest him.

"Alright," the man shouted into the crowd, "...which one of you lot has blocked the road with his bloody horse?"

Arno looked up. The signal!

"I have!" two voices called.

Green Coat and Arno Dorian looked at each other.

The fat man at the door, hay and oil adorning his apron paused, looking between them, before shrugging.

"Fine, both of ya, come with me. I'm sure the horse can tell me which one of ya is its master."

Arno followed Green Coat out of the room and down the corridor as the portly non-Assassin led them. Arno carefully folded up the letter and placed it in an inner pocket. No doubt Green Coat had been given the same tip off. He shook his arms and felt his hidden blade strapped secretly to his arm. As they walked, he gently bumped his lower arm against his waist and found he wasn't carrying his smoke bombs. Damn it. Arno looked over and saw Green Coat walking carefully. No doubt he was now on edge and had as much clue as to what was going on as he did.

They exited the building and walked into the refugee gardens that were silent. The smell of smoke was not as pungent as during the day but still the odor lingered in the air along with the stench of a hundred of so peasants squatting. Arno looked up as they walked, their fat leader muttering that they were idiots to leave a horse in a main road, good that he had seen it and place it in a stable.

As they progressed both Arno and Green Coat saw they were heading to a wooden building that looked like a house. Somewhere in his mind, Arno realized it was the house that Marie Antoinette lived in to remind herself of her old countryside farm house, or so he had heard.

Around another corner, away from the tanned tents they marched and Arno debated with himself if he should ask Green Coat if it was indeed "his horse" but kept his mouth shut. Someone had gone to the trouble of telling him there was a Templar in the room and thus he kept silent, opting to learn more as time progressed.

"Alright, lads here we are. Now I need paying for the hay he's gone an' noshed on."

The fat and scruffy man held his hand out.

Arno and Green Coat looked at each other blankly, before slowly turning back to the stranger.

Green Coat went to open his mouth but Arno was too fast.

"Tomorrow, first thing."

The fat man looked at them both and then grumbled a "fine, fine, it's too bloody late, anyway," before moving forwards to a stable door adding, "I best get me money, that hay cost a bloody fortune!"

"We promise," Green Coat added looking quickly to Arno; the two men united in their shared confusion and caution at unfolding events.

Their guide unlocked the door and the two young men followed the man into a wooden barn that stank of-

"There he is," the man said pointing, before leaving and saying into a dark corner, "I'll leave it up to you, gents."

Then the door was slammed shut.

Both Arno and Green Coat stared at the close door behind them before turning to see a chestnut colored horse's arse in their face. The beast swished it's hay colored tail and turned it's head round slowly, chewing cud with a snort. Next to it was a very smelly grey donkey chewing hay.

There was silence until it was broken by an angry twenty-two year old voice.

 "Is this your idea of a joke?"

"No, not at all," Arno said, nodding to the animal next to the horse, "I'd have picked the Ass for you too, Green-"

"You lot are going to the Fountain."

Green Coat and Arno turned around quickly to see Axe emerging from the darkness along with Ice Cream.

"What?" Green Coat grunted in the near pitch black as the horse behind them snorted again.

"Wait a minute, hold up," Arno said, brow creased in annoyance as the other men joined them from where ever they had been hiding. Assassins sure loved their theatrics. Arno tore the letter from his blue coat jacket, "What on earth is going on? Who wrote this?"

"There is a Templar among us," Axe said bluntly.

"Yes, I gathered that-"

Arno didn't miss the look from Green Coat.

"Really?" Arno said with dead pan, eyebrow raised at his peer.

"He's here," Ice Cream said in a not so well hidden panic, ignoring Green Coat's silent accusation towards the Ex-Templar.

"Who?" Arno asked in the dark barn, just being able to make out the body shapes of his teammates.

"The Templar," Ice Cream said before looking at his partner with pained eyes, "...it's Blue Hat."

Green Coat instantly saw red.

" **Where?** " Green Coat growled stepping forward, hand to his gun but he was stopped by Axe's hand.

"Back with Frederic and the others, that's why the names were called," Ice Cream said quietly, eyes darting around, as if the villain would show himself then and there, "The entire meeting was a front, Master Connor planned it as there was a rumor our HQ had been compromised. Tonight I got unexpected proof who it was."

"Where is Master Connor now?" Green Coat asked stony faced, yet with eyes of concern to his flustered lover, "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"Yes, I'm fine, er, no, I mean yes, I..." Ice Cream spluttered before taking a deep breath, "Master Connor is with Frederic and the hidden Templar, stalling for time. Also, it seems our secret," the ginger haired Assassin continued looking at his dark haired lover, "...is officially not a secret anymore."

Green Coat looked confused, before his eyes widened.

"Alexina!"

"No, it wasn't her," Ice Cream said, eyes still scanning the dark room.

"Arno?"

"I _am_ standing here," Arno said with an annoyed frown at his slightly shorter peer, "You could just ask me-"

"Alright, both of ya, shut your gobs," Axe said, pointing to Green Coat and Arno, "We know he's here, so does Master Connor. He were in the room just now, but obvious he ain't wearing his blue hat or feather for our ease of spottin' him."

Green Coat felt sick. The man that had caused him and Ice Cream so much horror had been perhaps mere inches away from them both. And he had no idea.

"And by 'Fountain' I assume you mean the Fountain of Salmacis?" Arno asked.

"Aye, and it's in Lyon."

"Lyon?!" Green Coat blurted before he could stop himself. He looked over at Ice Cream who nodded in confirmation.

"Not Turkey?" Arno asked.

"Things are moving faster than any of us thought, so Francois is being drafted in to be our cover," Axe explained, ignoring Arno, "We head into Lyon, set up base in his tavern, then head to the Fountain to retrieve the other diamond-"

"Wait, how do you know all this?" Arno asked with an annoyed frown, "What do you mean things are going fast?"

"We'll explain on the way, but I need to get him now, Axe," Ice Cream said looking nervously over at Axe who nodded and the tall Assassin left the barn quickly.

"Wait, where's he going?" Green Coat demanded, taking a step after his partner.

"To get Francois," Axe replied, rubbing his forehead.

"How long do we have to get ready?" Arno asked into the silence, for if they were going to the Fountain of Salmacis then he still needed his pouch, smoke bombs and other gear.

"You don't," Axe said, throwing the horses reins at him, "You're going **now.** "

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Wings-Please pardon the delay with the updated new chapter; had to do a bit of traveling with work.


	33. The Foreboding Fireside

~

Arno held his tongue with great difficulty as he caught the reins with one hand, watching as Axe's form turned and ran out of the dark stable after Ice Cream into the night. He huffed silver mist through his nostrils in the cold night air as he turned and climbed up onto the pre-saddled horse.

"I'm not riding the donkey," Green Coat stated with self entitled authority.

"Then walk," Arno replied, equally as blunt, as he kicked the horse's brown sides and trotted out of the semi-opened door. He moved the horse out carefully, mindful of anyone seeing him, suppressing a small voice in his head telling him not to leave Green Coat alone as much as he really wanted too. They were officially on a mission after all. Enemies could be anywhere. He urged the snorting horse to walk to the side of the path, stroking the side of its neck to calm it, careful that the animal's hooves didn't clack on the stones too loudly as he made his escape. Down the almost pitch black and empty road of the palace's estate he trotted, grateful the animals' feet hit soft dirt, muffling any sound, uncertain of just where he was meant to go or when the others would catch up. It was some time later that another horse trotted up to his side.

"Did you find that other horse then?" Arno smirked not looking at his peer in the semi darkness.

"Shut up."

The two Assassins began trotting down the dirt road in silence. The tall and dark trees loomed over them, observing the two men traveling alone. Arno pondered if he should ask Green Coat just which way Lyon was but his pride mentally slapped him down. He and Ice Cream had gone to Lyon only a month ago. He would find out soon enough. Randomly Arno realized that Green Coat knew he was aware of his relationship with Ice Cream. Huh, he wondered how the sour faced Assassin found out. But that was by the by. In fact, twas probably good he knew, even if Ice Cream had said the opposite. Onward they journeyed, for what seemed like an hour until they reached a distinct fork in the road. Arno squinted in the darkness from under his navy colored hood as both men brought their horses to a halt. The wooden sign in front of them had been smashed in two and was lying in a pathetic heap on the dirt ground with the words "Death to the King!" scribbled with red liquid. He didn't have to ask what the marking was made out of. The Ex-Templar looked left and right, at the cross road, seeing Green Coat professionally doing the same.

"Coin toss?" Arno offered, leaning back in his seat.

~

Francois watched as Ice Cream ran away from him down the dark and chilly corridor of the Royal Guest House. He paused, not sure why the man had suddenly run off on him. Twas bordering on rude, quite frankly- wait...had...had he upset Ice Cream? With the conversation that he'd overheard of the rumor the ginger, along side his team mate Green Coat, were sodomites? Francois narrowed his eyes towards the end of the corridor, straining to see which direction Ice Cream was going in with the limited light from a few candles lit down the rectangle of a room, illuminated portraits of royal strangers. Damn it, he should never have lost his temper back in the meeting room. Ice Cream was right, what was it to him what other people said? Don't give the whispers credit. The tanned coated Assassin wasn't buggering men, or being buggered. Jealous Assassins, that's all, starting gossip. Francois, feeling that embarrassment of causing distress to his mentor fluttering in his chest, narrowed his eyes further down the hall, with a worried expression. He hoped he hadn't offended with his silly worrying...

Francois was concentrating so hard that it took him a second to react when the edge of an opening wooden door hit him abruptly in the hip.

"Oh! I do beg your pardon, young master," a tired voice suddenly said from Francois's left. The teen dragged his eyes away from the end of the dark corridor, looked to his left and saw an old man in a red traveling cloak slowly emerging from the door, buzzing voices following him from behind and within the meeting room. Francois backed away to get a good look at this person as the old Assassin exited, shutting the door quietly.

"Thought I would get a head start on the thrall inside," the man explained, "My knees are not what they used to be and my room is a fair distance. Best start the ascent now."

"Please continue, Monsieur," Francois said, tilting his curly chestnut head to the side. The man seemed oddly familiar but that was impossible, Francois thought, they had never met before.

"Actually, I best be on my good behavior and not go far...you don't mind if I wait here for Mrs de la Vert do you?" the Assassin said in his tired voice, moving to the center of the corridor with a shuffle. "With all these feisty Assassins around I find it very difficult to get from A to B without getting in the way."

"No problem, twas my fault for standing by the door."

"No, no, son, I should have announced my presence," the old man said with a cough before he looked up, "An old Assassin's habits die hard...."

Francois raised his eyebrows as the man stared up at him with wide eyes and open mouthed for what seemed like an age.

"...Yes?" Francois asked confused, briefly looking behind himself for the person this old Assassin was staring at and seeing only a large plain glass window.

"Bless my soul...," the old man said, leaning more on his walking stick.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, pardon my staring," the man said, now looking away before his eyes cast back at Francois in the candle light, like he couldn't believe what he was seeing, "It's just you look very familiar to me, young man. Have we met before?"

"I don't think so," the curly brown haired teen shrugged, "...but oui, oddly I was thinking the same about you. Did you know the baker in town? The one by a tavern?"

"I don't recall..." the old man said nodding his head thoughtfully before waving him off, "Ah, it's probably nothing," the old man said shuffling more across the corridor towards the side windows, "You have a familiar face to me is all-"

"Let me guess," Francois smirked, wanting to roll his blue eyes at where the old man's sentence was going, "I remind you of a man called Ice Cream?"

"The very same one," the Assassin said looking back over his shoulder from under this hood with a wide smile.

"Well," Francois chuckled, "...you're not the first to make that connection."

There was a loud noise at the door to the meeting room as Assassins suddenly began spilling out and into the space.

"Here," Francois said and gently helped the older man to the side, nearest the window, as so not to become crushed by the people exiting.

"Ahh, to be that young again," the old Assassin said with a wry smile as the two watched groups of young Assassins pass them by, chatting loudly, "...with working knees, haha."

Francois laughed, scratching at a soft down of a stubble on his chin, "At least you don't have unsightly spots to contend with."

"True, true," the man chuckled before he looked back at Francois, changed the hand that he was leaning on the walking stick with and extended it out to the boy.

"My name is Henri, pleased to make your acquaintance, young man."

"Francois the Younger," the teen said standing tall and shaking the frail hand gently.

"The younger?" Henri said, warmly shaking the hand and letting go, "Your father is an Assassin?"

"No, he was a baker," Francois said sadly, scratching behind his ear, "Until the Revolution came along...he was murdered."

"I'm so sorry to hear," Henri said, patting him on the arm gently, "I too have lost those I loved in the course of time, but are you an Assassin?"

"No, I am a Novice...but I hope to be a full Assassin," Francois said with a smile, "I'm learning fast, or so I like to think. I can't wait to get the red sash."

"Do you specialize in anything?" Henri asked as the last group of Assassins exited the meeting room and turned down the corridor.

"I might go into Lock Picking," Francois said, with a shrug, scratching at his stubble chin again.

"Oh, Lock Picking?" Henri said with a surprised smile, "Why that discipline, if I may ask?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure...I just seem to be good at it," Francois said then saw the door down the corridor he had accidentally broken. He felt his face pink. "I still have much to learn, although, my tutor is annoyingly busy most days."

"Who is your tutor?"

"Monsieur Ice Cream," Francois said before adding, "Do you know him?"

"Oh, oui," Henri said with a cough, "I know of him. He's quite the Lock Picker. But I, er..."

"Hmm?"

"Well, I may a know a few tricks," Henri said with a smirk, putting both hands on his wooden walking stick and winking. "I was the one who taught him."

"What? No, wait...really?!" the nineteen year old asked with a smile and hope. This was Ice Cream's tutor?! No, he couldn't be, surely. "You...taught Monsieur Ice Cream? Lock Picking?"

"Oh yes," Henri said hauntingly while nodding, "I'd say he was around your age when he was my student. I was the best in the business alongside my brother, Frederic, at the time."

"You're..." Francois said with more realization, leaning back slightly to take in the new light from this man, "You're Monsieur's Frederic brother?"

"Indeed."

At this Francois's curiosity was well and truly pricked. He tried as best as he could to keep the eagerness from his voice but he had spoken to Frederic before about lock picking. It was the very same man who offered the initial training, mentioning that Ice Cream could help tutor him as well. Their lessons were brilliant but when his wife had given birth, Frederic literally had no time left so Ice Cream had been his main tutor. But recently Francois was getting the impression that the red head Assassin didn't want to take him seriously anymore. Why? Speaking of which, why did Ice Cream run from him? And when was the last time they both had a private lesson in Lock Picking? He missed those. Monsieur Green Coat had given him a few lessons, and he was good at the craft, but if he had to choose, Francois would admit to picking the more experienced and taller Assassin. But it had been more difficult these days to find the man to ask him. But here was Ice Cream's tutor! And Frederic's brother to boot! Maybe...maybe this Henri could help him?

As if readying his mind the older man spoke.

"If you'd like, I could show you a few tricks of the trade?"

"Really?!" Francois began again, a cautions smile on his face, "I would be very grateful, Monsieur. I am in need of a tutor and...could I perhaps consider you as one?"

Francois could see it was a bold statement to ask for the man's time but if Ice Cream wasn't going to teach him then he needed to find another mentor.

"I don't see why not," Henri said with a kind nod, "However, I'm not allowed to be out of my room, for I have a bit of a checkered history around here, hence why I am waiting for Mademoiselle Camille to escort me back. But I fear," he said looking back at the last straggling group of Assassins walking out of the hall, "...that her little one has got her attention. But you are more than welcome to pop by."

"I'd like that," Francois said with a wide smile, excited at the prospect that he now had a new mentor, perhaps a mentor who was more experience than even Ice Cream, "I have a small tool bag but I used my last pick on..." he trailed off remembering again he had broken a door in the same corridor they were standing.

"Not to worry," Henri said leaning on the side of the window, "I have a spare kit you can use. Shall be nice to have someone to talk too other than Mrs Breton. She's nice enough but-"

"You know Mrs Breton?"

"Of course, my boy," Henri said with a laugh, "Best cook around. She brings food up to my room for I am not permitted to eat in the mess hall."

Francois wanted to ask why Henri had to have a chaperon. But felt it would be rude to ask when they had just met. Perhaps another time, he concluded.

"My mother is coming to work here, Mrs Breton may have competition," Francois added, with a laugh of his own, "Now that my family Bakery is no more. Maybe you'll get to meet her. I wish we still had the shop...but I have a tavern in Lyon-"

"FRANCOIS!"

The teen and old man turned around to see a short and plump woman running her way down the corridor towards them, rosy cheeks and blooming black and white dress billowing in her wake.

"Oh, there's my mother now!" Francois said with a warm smile, before waving heartily back, "Over here, Mother!"

"My boy! My beautiful boy!" Francois's mother practically sung as she reached them and unashamedly threw her large arms around his neck. Mother and son embraced warmly before drawing back. She took his face in her fat hands, with a large smile, "Oh it's so good to see you, my love! Let me get a look at you. My, my, what a man you've become-"

"Mum," Francois exasperated with a pleased smile, trying to turn his curly head away, mindful of Henri's possible embarrassment, "We're in public, it's embarrassing."

"Oh, so you're too grown up now to give you old mother a hug?" she chuckled before planting a kiss on his tall forehead.

"He is a fine young man, Madame," Henri de la Vert said with a nod, "He takes after you."

"Oh, I wish!" she said with a laugh, turning to Francois, "Unfortunately I had no part in that. But you'll always be my baby."

"Mum, please, we have company," Francois said smiling with sheer embarrassment as his teary eyed mother hugged him again in a vice.

"Oh how, I wish you could have met your birth mother, he takes right after her," Francois' mother said more so to herself as she let her son go and nodded at Henri, "Seriously, if you could see," she added turning to the old man, "He's the spitting image of her."

"Is that so, Mademoiselle?" Henri said with grey eyebrows raised.

"My mother wasn't a six foot tall ginger Assassin was she?" Francois joked with a scoff.

"Francois!" another voice called out from the end of the corridor, "Come, I need you to...."

Henri, Francois and his mother all turned to see a startled tall Assassin run round the corner and stop dead in his tracks with blue eyes petrified.

"Oh! Hello, Monsieur Ice Cream!" Francois called with a wide smile, glad his tutor had returned, "Good timing. I'd like you to meet my mother. Mother, this is my tutor, Ice Cream. Yes, it's his real name. And Monsieur Ice Cream, your old mentor Monsieur Henri is here!"

~

Ice Cream froze. Eyes wide and brain numb. Time ground to a halt as the scene before him greeted his senses. For standing in front of him at the other end of the corridor was Francois, Francois's adoptive mother and...Henri. The breath left him as his mind fired up trying to plan what he was to do next. But he drew a blank. This shouldn't be happening. Axe had promised the two wouldn't meet. That Henri would be in his room, under house arrest or chaperoned. No, he couldn't be here. Maybe it wasn't him? Just an Assassin that looked like Henri? If he had to be in a meeting he was always escorted. Wait, did Francois know who Henri was? Suddenly fear so great shocked his limbs like lightning that he breathed in sharply, forcing his legs to walk on pure will alone, his will sharp as a knife. He marched up to the boy and grabbed him harshly by the upper arm, seeing the blue ribbon still wrapped around the teen's arm he had previous gifted Francois. The mission. Focus on the mission. Everything else could wait. Everything else was noise. Ignore the other people. Focus on the boy. The Fountain. The second diamond eye. He needed to get the teen away. To Lyon. Now. Blue Hat was in the building. He had no time for anything else. The plump woman. He recognized her face. Older than when they had first met all those years ago. Oh God, if Henri addressed him by his true name...!

"I need you to come with me right now..." Ice Cream said quickly, for it was all he could spit out, pulling at an arm, not looking at the other startled and confused adults.

"What?" Francois blurted.

Ice Cream harshly jerked his upper arm.

"Come."

"No wait, my mother just got here," Francois said with a confused smile, trying to yank his arm back. "What are you doing?"

"Now," Ice Cream growled, letting a uncharacteristic sliver of anger, that was always locked away from his carefully calm persona, out into Francois face.

Henri turned to Ice Cream.

"The boy just said he doesn't want to go," the elder Assassin kindly interjected with a frown.

 **"Now!"** Ice Cream spat with as much toxicity as he could muster, yanking Francois's arm so sharply that the boy was jerked sideways and lost his balance. Francois stumbled, almost toppling over onto the carpet.

"Hey!" Francois said angrily as he stumbled and began to walk lest he loose his arm or dislocate his shoulder, angry that Ice Cream, someone who he had thought was gentle, seemed oddly absent.

"Excuse me," the plump woman kindly called, her soothing voice making both Francois and Ice Cream look at her from the few paces they had made away, "This may sound peculiar but... do I know you?"

Ice Cream felt his soul beginning to leave his body.

"I assure you we have never met-"

"It's just you look awfully like..." the woman said, eyes to her son before looking back up at the tanned coated Assassin, "...do you have a sister?"

Ice Cream's brain was working at ten to the dozen as he felt Francois turn to look up at him, trying to pull his own arm back out of the ironclad grip. Ice Cream seized up and for some unknown reason he looked straight at Henri. Somewhere in his soul he knew why he had done it. A mixture of old habits. In trouble Iris? Look to Henri. He will always know what to do. Strange hooded men at the door? Henri will protect you. Strange papers on the bedside table talking about Pieces of Eden? Henri's business, he'll take care of it, no need to concern yourself. But then in the silence of that moment a small voice spoke. That small voice of vindictiveness we all have carefully placed behind manners and decorum. That voice that wanted to scream secrets from the top of it's lungs and right now it was whispering straight at Henri.

_Look._

_Look at him._

_Look at him you bastard._

_Look at what you left behind._

The old Assassin stared back at him and Ice Cream refused to see the flicker of horrific recognition in his former lover's eyes.

 _"Come, that's an order!"_ Ice Cream shouted with ground teeth and pulled Francois away forcibly again, stomping his boots down onto the red carpet as he marched himself and the hapless teen away.

"Hey-wait-I-BYE MOTHER!" Francois called as he was dragged away. "I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN SOON!"

"Oh, er, goodbye love!" Francois' mother called, waving a hand, "See you when you get back!"

Both adults watched as the Assassin and Novice disappeared from sight.

"Well that was rather abrupt," Francois mother said to herself before looking at Henri.

"I...feel I must apologize for that fellow," Henri said, turning his tired frame back to the plump woman. "The complexities of the Revolution is taking it's toll on us here. Us Assassins are not inhuman and thus not infallible...you look shocked my dear?"

Francois's mother blinked at the question, still looking at the corner of the corridor where her son and that odd yet recognizable Assassin vanished from.

"How odd...I think I just saw a ghost."

"Pardon me, my dear?"

"It's just that... that gentleman looks very much like my son," she said then added a self deprecated chuckle onto the end of it, "Oh I don't know, I'm still trying to get my head round you Assassins."

"I can assure you we are not that complicated," Henri chuckled too, leaning both hands on his walking stick. "But I agree, your son looks like that tanned coated gentleman. Perhaps he is a relative of yours?"

"I serious doubt it," the woman said, folding her arms, "Of my son perhaps but not mine."

"...forgive me, Mademoiselle, but I don't follow..."

The plump woman smiled. "I didn't pop him out, rather he was brought to me," Francois adoptive mother's face saddened as she shook it, "That poor girl... she didn't want to give him up. But I assured her that me and me husband would do right by her baby. He has such blue eyes like her, from what I can remember...did that gentleman just now have blue eyes? I can't remember."

"Do you remember what she, your son's birth mother, looked like?" Henri said as he shifted on the spot, leaning both hands on his walking stick.

"Only that she had blue eyes," Francois's mother frowned. "Although I do remember her name, only because Francois keeps reminding me."

Henri looked up at the woman.

"May I inquire as to her name?"

"Irene," she said before pausing and shaking her head with a laugh, "No, wait, it was was Iris coz' of her eyes, I think."

~

"Ow, hey-wait!"

Francois tried to frantically keep up as he was practically dragged down the corridors, round sharp corners like he was a naughty school boy and out into the open air. The grip on his arm becoming painful as they crossed the gravel path way. "Hey wait," he tried to say again as he was lead faster and faster and up to a waiting horse, "What are you doing?!"

"Get on the horse," Ice Cream ordered, stopping on the gravel and shoving the teen into the animal, forcing reins into Francois' hands.

"Wait, no," Francois protested, anger now flooding his face, throwing the reigns back at the Assassin, "Why did you just drag me away from my own mother-?"

"Don't argue. On the horse, now."

"No, you can't-"

Ice Cream threw the reigns at Francois.

"WHY CAN'T YOU FOLLOW ORDERS YOU STUPID BOY?!" ** _  
_ **

Francois jerked back at the force of anger from the taller man. He stared at the heavily breathing Assassin and subdued his shoulders. Calm thunder descended on his face as he gave Ice Cream a look and began to put his hands on the sides of the saddle, gathering up the limp reigns in the other. "Alright, no need to shout," Francois said as he climbed up onto the horse, feeling sick from the insult, having to shuffle back as Ice Cream then jumped on the horse in front of him.

"Now, hold on tight."

~

"Coin toss?" Green Coat spat back at Arno Dorian, "What do you think this is? We're not in the middle of a stupid tavern game, you twat."

"Come, come, Green Coat, there is no need for that sort of language...especially seeing as we have company now..."

There was a loud galloping of hooves and both looked behind to see a horse running like crazy their way. Arno straightened his back, seeing Green Coat pull his horse round in a semi circle, drawing a pistol. Arno squinted and saw there were not one but two horses. And three riders. He felt his hidden blades on his wrists-

 _"THIS WAY!"_ Ice Cream shouted as his horse galloped past them in a blur and down the right hand lane. Arno saw the fuzzy outlined form of Francois clinging onto the back of Ice Cream. It was a second or two that they were followed by Axe on his own large horse.

"SHIFT YA ASSES!"

Arno's horse reared up with a startled whinny from the passing animal. He just about stayed on top when the beast fell back down onto four legs and ran after the others.

The group galloped faster and faster, with Ice Cream in the lead. Arno turned his head behind him and saw nothing but the deserted night time road behind them. Why were they going so fast? No one was following them, yet Axe and Ice were acting like Templars were literally right behind them. Suddenly Arno saw the copper haired man turn his horse into the inky forest. The others followed closely, galloping over logs and leaves, rocks and moss as the group thundered through it. Arno felt his heart beating like a drum as the trees whistled past them at break neck speed, cold wind biting at his face. His horse snorted with the effort of running as he jiggled up and down on his seat every time the beast jumped up onto a ledge or down one. On and on they ran until they reached an open field, the sun not yet beginning to rise on the horizon. The five men tore through the wheat field, the high and over ripe heads of the stalks thwacking at his leather boots. Arno squinted as mud and water from the horses in front kicked up into the air, making tracking the other members of his group just that bit more dangerous. Into the forest again they went, and straight into a shallow river. The group turned and ran upstream in the water and Arno nearly lost them. It wasn't until Axe's voice rang out into the dark early morning air that he managed to reestablish where their leader was.

"HALT!"

The group slowed their horses in the shallow stream, with Arno bringing up the rear. He coughed and saw Axe turning in his seat, looking behind them.

"All clear, lads."

Arno realized with a start that Ice Cream and Francois were missing. He looked over his shoulder and saw said Assassin trot out from behind a thick set of trees, pull the reins up to halt his splashing horse, leaned over to the side and promptly vomit a long stream of yellow gunk over the side. The Ex-Templar pulled a slight face and averted his eyes. Seemed Ice Cream was still sick.

"Excuse me," Ice Cream spluttered with a couple of coughs, spitting out the rest as Green Coat ordered his horse to approach them.

"You alright?" Axe called in the darkness with a grunt as Green Coat trotted up to his secret lover, an arm out to help steady Ice Cream back onto his horse.

"Yeah," Ice Cream replied spitting out the last wad of gunk into the water below, "I've got a bumpy horse is all..."

Arno frowned at the man. He was _still_ vomiting? But that was more than a month ago that he ate that maggot bread...

"You alright, son?" Axe called, catching his breath and looking over at the youngest member.

"That was incredible!" the boy nearly sung, hair wild, eyes wide and on fire, oblivious to the pale looking man he was holding onto, "I've never been that fast on a horse before! I wish I could do it all day!"

"Rather you than me," Ice Cream moaned with a loud cough before leaning back with a sigh, a hand on his stomach, "Ah, that feels better."

"Better out than in," Axe said before looking around them at the forest, Ice Cream taking an offered water skin from a concerned looking Green Coat. "Right, up there is a bend in the river, best we hunker down for the nigh' there. Our tracks are being hidden by the stream so keep to it until we reach it or I'll give you one hell of a clip round the 'ear."

 ~

 Ice cream wanted to vomit. Then again. Then one more time for good luck. He couldn't believe it. Henri and Francois met. They met! How could it have happened?! They were never to come into contact, that's what he was promised! Wait, was Axe aware of this? That look...the look of anger that had descended upon Francois's face when he had shouted at the boy... He hated it and had instantly regretted losing his rag. It reminded him of how his own face must have appeared when distorted by anger. He wished Francois hadn't taken after him. Ice Cream felt Francois slip off the standing beast behind him. The worried Assassin didn't look at the teen as he too climbed off and walked his tired horse to the side of the river and tied the heavily breathing mare up to a tree on the bank. Ice Cream pulled the reigns tight on the knot as his horse lent down to drink from the river and, without warning, he doubled over with nauseousness, a gloved hand on the side of the tree trunk steadying himself. He looked at the bush nearest him and waited. The feeling in his stomach rose, crested, then fell. Ice Cream swallowed. No, he wasn't going to be sick further. The copper haired Assassin straightened up and set about helping to make camp, glad for the distraction, shoving all thoughts to the back of his mind to be dealt with later.

After a while the group began to settle as best they could. Each man still reeling from the sudden evacuation from HQ. The concealed fire that Axe had set up on the river bank was small enough not to attract attention but large enough to provide some limited warmth.

Ice Cream, hunched over on his haunches near it, began rubbing his hands together nervously, staring into the fire as the others moved around setting up their sleeping areas.

_Henri wasn't there._

_Blue Hat wasn't there._

_Henri wasn't there._

_Blue Hat wasn't there_ , he continued to chant mentally to himself.

_He and Francois were safe._

_Safe._

The old Assassin or his monster of an aggressor weren't going to jump out of a tree and appear then and there right in front of him. Ice Cream closed his eyes and forcibly calmed himself. After a while of small talk with the others, which he decided to uncharacteristically not take part in, he walked up to a few set of large boulders away from the group. He subconsciously located where Green Coat had placed their normally shared sleeping bag. His partner was checking his equipment, cowl off his head and shoulder length inky hair hiding his face as he checked his tools over. Green Coat paused and looked up with a warm if worried smile. The taller man felt his heart clench as he smiled tenderly back and decided all he wanted to do was curl up in his lover's arms, breathing that deep musk of earth that was forever Vincent's scent and pretend nothing note worthy happened today other than spending time with his beloved.

But it was not to be.

 The two Assassins knew the hidden meaning behind the sadness in their smiles; they couldn't fall asleep together tonight.

Francois was there.

As if on cue, Francois walked passed Ice Cream, avoiding eye contact. Ice Cream looked down and stepped back, allowing the teen more room to pass by. The boy had kept far away and was ignoring him openly now, which had not gone unnoticed by the group. Axe had nodded in the direction of the oblivious teen after getting Ice's eye but the ginger shook his head. He didn't want to talk. Ice Cream had then began the mental journey of wanting to apologize to Francois but something was stopping him. Shock, most likely, from unexpectedly seeing Henri again and knowing his attacker was so close only a few hours ago. No, let the boy be angry. It will tired him out and prepare his mind for sleep, Ice Cream agreed with himself. They only had a few hours then they would move on towards Lyon. They could properly rest then, safe in Francois's tavern and not out in the forest.

There he could retreat into his own mind and begin rebuilding his mental wall of self preservation.

Ice Cream swallowed and looked over at the fire with a frown as he sat down on his own sleeping bag, back against the moss covered boulder. He had his own concealed anger and fear to contend with. Ice Cream crossed one leg over another, and started nibbling on the tip of his gloved thumb, tasting old leather, deep in the thought. He flicked his eyes over to Axe who was snapping twigs on his knees and adding them to the fire. The man looked strained. Ice Cream bristled. Why didn't his oldest friend keep his promise of Henri not coming into contact with Francois? Ice Cream tried not to think of what subject matter Henri and Francois's mother were currently talking to each other about right now.

Feeling suddenly sick again, Ice Cream moved to sit on his knees and started to pick at his traveling bag for something to focus his attention on. The brown bag was rather light and thin as speed of urgency had deprived him of gathering together more equipment. He rummaged through his bag to find something to rest his head on as the others chatted. He scoffed to himself at the sparseness of his equipment. He hadn't even packed the pain-relief and contraceptive root until he realized with a start he had, in fact, run out of it ages ago. Forget it, he thought to himself, now searching for something to brush his teeth with. Apart from easing the after-burn of having sex with Green Coat, where anal and birth canal penetration was common, he didn't have to worry about falling pregnant anymore. In fact, he mused, Green Coat tended to choose his defunct vaginal entrance more these days... He scoffed. Chance, the stable event and not to mention his own age were creeping up on his side. With a hint of paranoia, Ice Cream ran a hand through his copper hair, searching for any tell-tale grey hairs hidden among his rich locks and was relieved to find none. He traced a hand down the sides of his face, over the side burns and down to a smooth chin. Damn it, why couldn't he grow just one whisker? What he would give to be able to grow something like his lover's stubble...

"Right, grubs up," Axe grunted from his side at the fire, shoving the first steaming grey mess tin towards a sitting Arno.

"Cheers," the sitting blue coated Assassin said, pushing his cowl off of his head as Green Coat went to take the next one.

"Merci," Green Coat said, walked away from the fire and offered it straight to a sitting and now cross legged Ice Cream.

Ice Cream, back against a boulder, stopped searching through his bag and noticed the way Francois suddenly was looking at him and Green Coat from the fire side. He felt his stomach squirm as the conversation they had had prior about the rumor that Green Coat and himself were "sodomites" came back to Ice Cream. He had almost forgotten about that...Oh, how he so wanted this day to end! Too much had gone on. First the knowledge that their relationship was known by more people than they wanted...Blue Hat being in the HQ...and then seeing Henri and Francois together with Francois adoptive mother saying she recognized him...

Ice Cream didn't see the tin again being gently wafted under his nose. He breathed in sharply from his round up of the horrendous day and looked up again to see his lover's kind face urging him to take the food. Oh, how he wanted to kiss him...The ginger assassin shook his head saying, seeing the yellowish gruel sloshing in the tin, "No. You eat it. I'm not hungry."

Too much had happened today and he just wanted to be left alone.

Unfortunately, Green Coat didn't get the message.

"It's for you," the young man pressed.

"No, you have it."

"Why?" Green Coat said with a confused smile, "I have my own tin."

"It's alright, Green," Ice Cream sighed, crossing his hands over his oddly hard stomach, "I don't need it."

Green Coat frowned.

"Ice, you need to eat."

"No, I'm alright," Ice Cream said, pursing his lips with a frown, pressing a thumb to his belly. Why the hell was his stomach hard?

"We don't know the next time we're going to eat-"

"For God's sake...," Ice Cream muttered, closing his eyes as a disturbing reason for why his stomach was hard came to him. A snap of pure frustration enveloped him and he accidentally shot a challenging stare at his lover, "I said **NO**!"

A painful silence descended upon the camp.

Arno stared from behind Francois at the green and tanned coated Assassins, a silver fork stuck in his mouth from eating.

Feeling the shocked eyes of his lover on him with the rest of the group staring their way, Ice Cream shook his embarrassed head, needing instant solitude. "What's the point if I'm just going to vomit it up again anyway?" he added in an oddly angry and quiet whisper to himself and with that he left the group.

Arno watched the tall ginger pick up his bed roll and bag and move over to the farthest boulder, settling down again near it. The twenty-two year old saw Green Coat pause, eyes wide, unsure, a hand still offering the mess tin to a vacant point in space.

The silence stretched painfully.

Axe coughed loudly and nodded to Green to come back to the fire side and leave Ice Cream alone.

Arno looked up and saw his peer blink and return to his seat at the fireside. They had all had a long and hard day, he reckoned.

Green Coat did as ordered, face hidden in his dark hair as he squatted down, chastised, and handed the food back over to Axe.

Arno watched as the Axeman stashed the tin and meat near the fire to keep it warm.

The group were silent for a while, as the pops and cracks from the orange fire warmed the air. Soon idle small chatter grew as the three men and teenager sat and ate together as the stars twinkled high above. Arno didn't ask why Green Coat was picking at his food and wasn't talking. Arno continued to eat his meal, along side Francois who was sitting next to him. After a few minutes Axe swallowed, held a finger up to Green Coat, took the previously rejected mess tin, stood and moved over to the side where Ice Cream was curled up on his side. Arno watched as the leader walked casually over to the non-moving figure, squat and mumble something low in a gravely voice.

"He's been a lunatic all day," an angry voice whispered.

Arno turned to the teenager.

"Excuse me?"

"Monsieur Ice Cream," Francois said, making sure Axe couldn't hear him, "He dragged me off in front of my mother and an elder Assassin. Can you believe that?"

"Why?"

"To come here, what else?" Francois said before he released with a blush he was being childish, "Forgive me, Monsieur Arno. I had been waiting to see my mother for months and just when I got to hug her he...he took her away from me."

"Have no fear, you'll see your mother again soon," Arno said, trying to convince himself of his own words, "Once this lion business is done with."

"Why am I here anyway?" Francois whispered, "Why press-gang me into this mission?"

"To be our cover," Green Coat interrupted bluntly from the opposite side to the camp fire, jabbing a fork at the gunk in his mess tin angrily, "But more so your tavern-"

"What do you want with my tavern?"

"We need it," Arno said calmly seeing a potential argument between the two developing, "To hide in while we're in Lyon. To be our base."

"...oh..." Francios said, looking down.

"If you'll permit us?" Arno asked quickly.

"Oui, I do but...I don't know what's going on!"

"You and me both," Arno said drinking some cooled water in his tin.

"Make that three," Green Coat grunted to the surprise of Arno, "I'd like to know what Axe is keeping from us, about our sudden "mission" ."

"I'd like to ask Ice Cream the same," Arno said, momentarily forgetting Green Coat would take offense to the insinuation, the remark making his peer stare daggers up at him.

"I'll be back to check on ya' later," a graveling voice said from the way before Green Coat could retort.

Arno, Francois and Green Coat turned and strained to hear Axe's voice again and what he was saying to Ice Cream, but as soon as they had zeroed in on them, Axe patted the tall Assassin on the shoulder and gave him the mess tin, which Ice Cream surprisingly took in one hand. They all watched as their large leader returned to the fire side and sat down with a hearty "umpf!"

Arno noticed Green Coat looked up sharply to their leader.

"What's the matter?"

Axe went to open his mouth but paused, seeing Francois look up at him.

"...He's er...," Axe began, looking at the fire, before forcing a pained smile, "...he's got the runs."

"The runs?" Arno asked.

"Aye. Best he sleep near the bushes," the brown haired Assassin lied, poking the small fire with a stick, "I told him that meat will help bind his insides up. Don't need no Assassin shittin' everywhere."

The Ex-Templar looked over his shoulder to see Ice Cream sniff at the tin and push it slowly away with an incredibly forlorn expression on his face.

"So," Arno said, tilting his head back to the group. Time to push his luck. "What's really going on?"

"Going on?" Axe asked, still jabbing at the fire nonchalantly.

"Oui. With this mission."

Arno gave the leader a chance to reply but when nothing was timely, he began again.

"It's as clear as mud. Something I've been noticing these past few months. Yourself, Frederic and Ice Cream, scuttling off to the library. Having secret meetings. Myself and the boy here would like to know exactly what is going on if we are to continue to risk our lives-"

"You're part of the Creed now, boy," Axe gruffed, "You need to know what I need you to know. Nothing more, nothing less. We ain't all privy to what the Brotherhood gets up too. We leave that up to Master Connor and the representatives-"

"Who's the leader of the French Brotherhood anyway?" Arno almost snapped.

"You're lookin' at him."

"What?" Arno laughed, "You?"

"Aye."

"Since when?" Arno frowned. Axe couldn't be the head leader of the French Brotherhood...could he?

"Since the start," Axe said, before laughing, "...you don't pay much attention, do you?"

Arno bristled, randomly noticing Green Coat wasn't taking the offered opportunity to pour verbal fuel onto the fire of his character assassination.

"I do not question the Creed," Arno said slowly with thinly hidden annoyance, "...or it's orders...most of the time," he added truthfully, still slightly stunned Axe was more senior than he realized, "It's why I'm here in the first place. But to be _aware_...to prepare... for what I might face, is only fair, is it not? Other wise you're asking us all to go in blind to our potential deaths, the boy included."

Francois, eyes wide with concentration, nodded.

"You have to be honest with us or there is no trust."

"...It's a fair point...," Green Coat mumbled, eyes still cast downwards.

"Oh, you found your voice now, have ya'?" Axe said, leaning away from Green Coat before throwing a finger to the group, "Ice Cream not mention anything to any of ya'...?"

"How could he? He's under your strict orders, is he not?" Arno said.

"Ice Cream doesn't say much anymore...," Green Coat mumbled again trailing off.

The Assassins were quiet for a long time until Axe nodded.

"Fine. You lot want the short version or the long?"

"Both," Arno said, eyes staring.

Axe sighed long and heavy as a crackle came from the camp fire.

"I was plannin' on telling ya all when we got there but..."

He took out something from a back pocket. In his large hand was a familiar leather tube that Arno saw Green Coat quickly lean back in his seat away from it.

"Keep ya' pants on, Green, it's of no harm."

"I beg to differ," Green Coat said as he narrowed dark eyes at the tube wearily.

"I agree," Arno added with a deep scowl.

Axe slowly undid the leather case's top with a faint "pop!" and out slid the lion statue with its head oddly wrapped up in a white handkerchief.

"Watch," Axe said as he moved and leaned over to the fire. Arno and the rest of the men watched with rapture for the moment the stone lion or cloth touched fire the flames turned vivid shades of green, purple and red. A thin line of air separated the lion from the actual flames as Axe moved his wrist and turned the stone animal over. Axe pulled the unharmed statue away and the fire returned to its normal orange.

"What on earth was that?" Francois asked eyes wide in amazement. "It was beautiful!"

"It's what happens when this Piece of Eden comes into contact with fire," Axe said, scrutinizing the statue before he looked back over to a gaping Francois.

"You can control it?" Francois asked dumbfounded, making Arno blink. Of course one could, he realized, like back on top of the carriage when he was with Ice Cream being chase by Templar goons. The Assassin had brought something out of his coat pocket and the fire licked away from him. But that didn't explain the metal pebble like lock on his wrists that were momentarily there.

"Aye, that I can, as long as I'm holding it. You could too if you held it."

"Can I try?" the teen grinned and Axe nodded to the surprise of the other men present.

"Sure, just don't touch the stone's surface, let the white cloth fall off or ya put your own hand in the fire."

Arno watched as Francois took the artifact and moved it towards the fire which instantly turned green, then red and purple.

"Those colors are identical to the sky lights," Green Coat said, eyes semi wide in thought, every now and again shuffling a bit further away from the vicinity of where Francois' hand moved to with the lion.

"Indeed," Axe said, "This thing can cause the sky to light up in them same pretty colours."

"So what's the point of it?" Arno asked.

"What's the point of any Piece of Eden, Arno?" Axe shrugged, gently taking the lion back from a highly impressed Francois and turning the lion over in his hands, "Power. Power over others. All the other Pieces have been used as such. And this, has power neither side has seen before."

"To bend and dye fire?" Arno asked, eyebrow raised, remembering that the statue could alter its face and scold skin at will.

"To _repel_ it."

The Ex-Templar blinked.

"...repel?"

"What repels fire?" the bearded man asked the group at large, "...what kills it stone dead?"

"....water?" Francois offered hopefully.

"Aye, water. Got a blazing fire going on? Dump as much water on it as possible. But what else can kill fire? How about smothering it?"

"Earth?" Arno said with a nod, feeling his understanding slowly coming to him.

"Aye, when we're finished with this fire," Axe pointed to the campfire in front of him, "...we kick it out with dirt. Starves it of air. Anything else?"

"...air," Green Coat grunted, still on edge. "Just take the air away."

"Yep, ya need air to get a fire going. Why do you think we blow on the embers in the tinder boxes to get a fire started?" Axe said more so to Francois who nodded eagerly.

"So the lion can...interfere with all of those things?" Arno asked, frowning deeply. "How is it capable of such power?"

Axe smirked.

"What's everything made out of?" Axe challenged him, "What's inside you and me?"

"Pardon?" Arno asked before Francois beat him to it.

"Blood? Water...?"

"Yes, water, but what's inside that, lad?"

"Life?" Francois offered before Green Coat then answered.

"...Energy..."

"Yes. This my friends," Axe said holding up the covered statue, "...can control **energy in water.** And everything is energy. You, me, that fire, even this rock I've perched me arse on. This kitty just prefers to do all it's controlling with water energy."

"So the water in the air is what it's controlling in relation to the fire colors?" Francois pressed. "And the water in the air caused the sky lights too?"

"And as there is energy in water...thus our bodies can be controlled with that artifact?" Arno asked seriously.

"To a point," Axe said, "But use this thing enough and I can make you jump in that fire if so I fancied."

"What if you were to use it now? How powerful is it?"

"Well, it's blind," Axe said scratching his beard, "So at the moment I'd probably get you to maybe look at the fire but not jump into it."

"...that's...that's terrifying..." Francois whispered, blue eyes huge.

"Aye," Axe said pulling a face, "Which is why we need to get the kitty's other eye before the Templars do."

"How did you find out it can control people?" Arno asked, still not believing.

"We tested it out on each other, in the library. I held the statue and focused my thoughts on Frederic, 'o were standing opposite. I thought over and over again 'light a match, Frederic'. Nothing happened but he did say he got the urge to find a matchbox all of a sudden," Axe said.

"What about Ice Cream?" Arno asked, a flash back to the fire-bending event on top of the carriage.

"Ice managed to get a flame to jump from one candle to another, but that were it."

"And you...," Green Coat quietly said, "...you can never destroy energy, only move it...my father used to say..." Green Coat mumbled, rubbing his hands together, suddenly bowing his face as his shoulder length hair hid his face in shadows.

"Aye," Axe said with what Arno detected was an undercurrent of cautiousness.

"So why is it making the fire those different colours? The purples and greens?"

"Not sure...but right now, blind and helpless all it can do itself is repel the any sort of fire it comes into contact with. The focus is messed up and all over the place without it's jewels. So, put one diamond in, the focus increases and is strong enough that it can effect the water in the air. Put the second eyes in and...well, it will, hopefully-"

"Control water..." Francois offered with a wide smile, ever the eager student. "In living things?"

"Spot on, my boy. Frederic thinks that if we put the second eye in then that is the likely outcome. And considering you, me and King Louis are made out of water, get the focus strong enough and-"

"You could control whole populations," Arno said with a worried expression, "Entire towns-"

"And here's the best part...what are we in the middle of right now?" Axe asked with a wry smile, pocketing the lion back to where it came from in the tube.

"The forest?" Francois chanced with a raised eyebrow.

"Fuck me, a Revolution..." Green Coat said, looking up with horrified eyes wide.

Axe nodded, shut the tube and waited for the penny to drop.

"Are you saying this entire Revolution," Arno began, "...is being caused by someone wielding a Piece of Eden?"

"Not being caused...being _controlled_."

"Who the hell would do that? Or even could?" Green Coat demanded.

"Someone who knows **exactly** what Pieces of Eden are," Axe said, carefully putting the leather tube away again, "Which narrows down who it could be."

"Templars?" Francois nervously asked.

"We think as much," Axe coughed.

"...could it be an Assassin?" the dark haired man asked, eyes sullen.

From the corner of his eye, Arno saw a dark shadow cross over Green Coat's face.

Axe shrugged.

"It's one or the other. Templar or an Assassin gone rogue."

"How did you come to this conclusion?" Arno asked.

"...seen the weather recently?" Axe said.

"Yes, it's rather erratic."

"Give someone an unbroken horse and what happens? Shit starts flying everywhere, ya' can't control the beast-"

"You think someone, somewhere in France... is trying to control the weather, thus this Revolution, using a broken Piece of Eden?" Francois blurted.

"Or half a piece. And this..." Axe said holding the tube up, "Is perhaps the piece they're missing. Our theory is that if ya' combine the two, the thing will work fully. That bit behind its neck where Frederic put the candle to light up the first diamond? That's no candle holder; the hole is too oval shaped, meaning something else is meant to fit there. Like the Apple and Staff."

 "So where does the Fountain of Salmacis fit in?" Arno asked.

"Now that," Axe said with laugh, throwing another log onto the fire, "...is what we're trying to figure out. Why Salmacis? A water nymph with a penchant for pretty boys?"

"Who is Salmacias?" Francois asked.

 "Well legend says that, once upon a time, a man was changed into a woman by falling into a body of water," Axe continued scratching his chin, "There are many stories of gender swapping but the translation, of this story, is of a water nymph who loved an intruder to home so much she fused with him."

"Ouch," Francois said, making Green Coat oddly scoff.

"The man who wrote this thousand year old story, Ovid," Axe explained," ...he flowered it up. Made it a bit more scandalous than it really was of men becoming feminine if they bathed in the Turkish fountain. To get tourists into the local area. Ice Cream's found similar tales in the Far East and Asia. Even Master Connor said 'e knew of a story his own tribe told that sounded similar. But what is clear in which ever version of the story is that someone transferred their body into another being. And something went wrong in the process," Axe said before he leaned over to the quiet Assassin on his right, "Does that sound at all familiar, Green?"

The twenty-two year old nodded slowly. "Consus...," Green Coat said,"...but not into another person...into a shroud...he transferred his conscious mind into his invention."

"Aye and got trapped. But that's not all, is it? Some of your family has a history of dealing with the ghost of Consus, am I not right?"

"Oui, but...I've never heard voices," Green Coat said, looking at the fire. He neglected to mention the white ghostly vision he saw before colliding with a table. "Apart from when we put that lion thing up to our ears-"

"Yeah, what's with that?" Arno asked, but the Novice drowned him out with a loud gasp.

"You think Salmacis is trapped in the statue?!"  Francois asked, eyes wide with the mystery, "And that the lion is alive?"

"It's possible," Axe said, scratching his nose, "Frederic thinks it is. Or some remnant of her is inside that kitty. Handy her name is written on it's belly, right?"

"But why a _lion_?" Arno pressed. As much as he was trying to follow, a great deal he still didn't understand everything.

"I'm getting a headache," Arno suddenly heard Green Coat mutter to himself.

"Dunno, this rock was probably not a lion shape when she interned herself in it, if for argument's sake it is her," Axe sighed looking up into the starry sky, "Could be another Precursor fella for all we know. We're running on educational guess work here, lad. But what ever this statue truly is, it has the power to alter the natural state of things _and_ it has a mind of it's own. We gotta figure out just who is inside and what it wants."

"So the fountain we're searching for in Lyon...it's The Fountain of Salmacis?" Francois asked, "Where Salmacis is meant to come from? You think the lion will come to life if we get there?"

"Yes...and no..." Axe said, "Truthfully. We don't know if the one we're heading for is the real one. But what we _do_ know is that the second diamond is most likely in there. That's the beauty of the decoy Frederic and Master Connor set up with the Turkey story. We gotta get to the real fountain before the Templars do."

"I'll ask again," Arno said, feeling frustrated at the amount of confusing information, leaving the subject of the statue's hummed whispererings for now, "How do you know there is a diamond in this Lyon fountain we're heading too?"

"Frederic found out."

"Frederic?"

"Oui."

Arno tried a different approach feeling that Axe was avoiding the question on just where Frederic was getting his intelligence from. "So it's really not in Turkey?" he asked. "No Halicarnasuss rubbish?"

"There _is_ a fountain in Turkey, by the Mausoleum, aye," Axe said, "Frederic found it himself. It was where those Templars got turned into bacon by lightning. What ever is inside _that_ building, the one by Halicarnassus... is keeping us all out. As such, Frederic thinks it's a red-herring. A distraction. Make a big song and dance so people will look one way while the actual truth of the matter is scurrying away in the other. We've spent the past few months trying to convince the entire Assassin population that the answer to this lion is in the **Turkey** fountain."

"To throw the hidden Templar off the scent?" Arno nodded.

"Aye. A Piece of Eden this powerful, Master Connor feels it's best that only a few know, i.e our group. And the Templars knew the same as us. But the playing field changed when **we** got the first diamond."

"Who has that diamond now?" Green Coat asked.

"It's not here if you're wondering," Axe laughed, scratching his nose, "It's with someone else. Safe as houses."

~

Ice Cream stared hard at that moss covered rock, feeling his stomach doing back flips even as the rest of the Assassin group said their good nights and bedded down, the fire being snuffed out. He couldn't sleep. Even knowing Axe was taking first watch did nothing to calm his nerves. He really hadn't meant to shout at the teen, or his lover. Francois literally had no idea what was going on. Had no idea who Henri really was to him. And Green Coat...he was only trying to help. And why the the heck was his lower abdomen rock hard? Ice Cream kept his hands as far away from his stomach as he could, sandwiched under his head, ignoring how one nipple was oddly itchy. He felt his chest heavy with concern for ever since he had spoken to Frederic's wife in the hallway, he couldn't get her winking at him out of his head. He wanted to pretend he didn't know what she was eluding too. It was stupid. But he couldn't ignore it.

Ice Cream suddenly felt saliva at his mouth, bile demanding to come out from his throat. With a slight groan, he got up, found a discreet local bush and vomited what little was in his stomach. He waited for it to subside when another wave hit. When it was over, he dug around in a pocket for a cloth to wipe his face. He pulled out the lunch cloth that still had a few walnuts inside from the initial storming the banquet, pocketed them and wiped his mouth. Feeling next his bladder calling out, Ice Cream moved further into forest, slid his trousers down and squatted. When finished, he wiped himself off with the aforementioned cloth, pulled his breeches up and was buckling his belt when there was a crunch of leaves and a soft padding of feet from behind. Guessing from the shadow that fell over him in the full moon light he knew who it was.

"No Templars over here, Axe."

"I figured that..." Axe said, putting his hands on his hips, looking distracted, "Just a heads up I've let the others in on what we were up too in the library, trying to mind control each other."

"So soon?" Ice Cream asked, rubbing a hand on his stomach, back still turned to the man.

"They were getting restless," Axe said, crossing his arms at the other Assassin's behavior, "Arno in particular..."

Ice Cream coughed, leaned over and spat into a bush.

Axe lifted an eyebrow.

"...You got somethin' you wanna tell me?"

Ice Cream turned around slowly.

"Pardon me?"

Axe pointed in the direction of the bush he had thrown up in.

"...I don't know what you're talking about," the ginger said coughing again slightly.

Axe looked over his shoulder to see everyone else safely asleep before back to Ice Cream.

"You. Vomiting. You got gut worm?"

"...maybe..." Ice Cream sighed looking away with annoyance.

"Food poisoning?"

"Possibly."

"Consumption?"

"I don't know," Ice Cream said, shutting his eyes with an angry auburn frown, "I just can't keep anything down and, what's this, can't I even piss in private without causing alarm?"

Axe sucked in a breath through his nostrils as he looked behind them, hands on his hips.

"...you in the family way?"

Ice Cream snapped his head round, eyes open.

"I beg your pardon?"

Axe stared back at him with dark eyes.

"No...of course not," the lithe Assassin said, "I can't, you know I can't-"

Ice suddenly stopped and looked up, seeing the camp fire smoldering and the others curled up in sleeping bags. He scanned the area making sure no one could hear them before he continued in a hushed voice.

"You know I can't conceive."

Axe looked over his shoulder at a sleeping Francois next to Arno.

Ice Cream followed his gaze.

"...not anymore, Axe..."

Axe turned back to Ice Cream.

"Then you won't mind me testin' ya' ."

"Testing me?"

"Aye."

"And how would you do that?" Ice Cream said with a tired and sarcastic eyebrow lifted, pocketing the now dirty handkerchief, "Lift up my skirt?"

Axe ignored the jibe.

"When was the last time you bled?"

"Months ago," Ice Cream said with an annoyed smile, "As per usual."

"Then you won't mind using this," Axe said and held up a dark, slim and almond shaped seed in between his thumb and forefinger, "I picked it up before we left."

Ice Cream stared, past recognition sparked in his mind at it before he turned his back on the Assassin, aiming to walk back to the sleeping area.

"You've lost your mind-"

A hand came out, grabbed Ice Cream, and harshly pulled him back around to face Axe, a fist in the Assassin's tanned shoulder pad.

"I've been watching ya' these past few days... ya mind's elsewhere and not on the mission. Ya' more irritable than usual and there has only been once instance where I've seen this kinda behavior from you before...for if there is even the minute chance in this world that you're carrying," Axe quietly growled into his face, "...then you're about to compromise us all, least yourself."

Ice Cream stared up at the man in the semi darkness, jaw clenched tightly shut.

"For it seems that talk we had back in the workshop," Axe continued, eyes narrowed, "...when I found ya' chewing on that root? Didn't sink in after all."

Ice Cream looked down at the fist that had captured his shoulder guard. He willed himself not to slap it away.

"I was in pain-"

"Aye, from welcoming him into ya' bed."

"..."

Ice Cream stared up at Axe, spine bent from how the taller Assassin was holding him.

"So, either I get you to next time piss on this here seed," Axe said holding it up before he jabbed a thick finger onto Ice Cream's chest, "...or I'm gonna check these ain't fillin' with milk."

Ice Cream stood his ground as some of his loose auburn hair blew in the wind against a cheekbone as he squared himself up to the threat, mind racing, feeling a thrill of fear down his spine.

"And if I refuse?"

"Then you're going straight back HQ."

"What?" Ice Cream blinked with sarcasm, "With Blue Hat waiting for me? What an excellent idea, I don't know why I didn't think of it myself."

There was silence as both men locked eyes with each other.

Ice Cream knew he was very close to testing Axe's patience when tiredness cascaded over him and, ultimately not wanting a fight, he gave up and let out a breath.

"You're worrying about nothing. Go to sleep Axe, I'll take watch," Ice Cream said, trying to gently push away the hand that had his shoulder pad under duress, "...the journey has tired us all out and messed with your senses."

Ice Cream almost managed to release himself until Axe yanked his shoulder guard back up to a strong chest. Ice Cream felt the man's lips near his ear.

"I've seen you pregnant before," Axe growled, hot breath ghosting across his cheek, "Don't forget that."

Suddenly Ice Cream cracked and snapped his head round, noses almost touching.

"And upon who's actions caused _that_ , Gale?" Ice Cream hissed as quietly as he could, eyes on fire.

At the use of his real name and reference to their own hushed shared past, Axe paused. He swallowed under the blazing stare of sky blue eyes before he looked away, letting go of the Assassin's coat.

Ice Cream turned his head away, realizing what he had just done.

"Forgive me, Axe, I didn't mean bring up-"

"Look," Axe said seriously, calm seeming to claim his face, "...you've been vomiting on and off for two months now from what I 'ear...you ate some bad bread, Arno said, but that should have cleared now...what else am I ta' think? I can't have a sick Assassin on this mission, Ice. It's too dangerous."

Ice Cream shook his cowl covered head, trying to distract himself with smoothing out his mangled right shoulder pad.

"I understand but...it could be a million things causing this..."

"Then let's rule one of 'em out," Axe said holding up the seed again, "I'm only thinking of your health, Ice. I don't want to see history repeating itself for a third time. Your body's older now...and I promised Juliet."

Ice Cream blinked sadly at the mention of Axe's deceased wife. He breathed slowly in and out, Camille's voice still in his head. Well, this would give him an answer either way, right? No more guessing, if he was to do a test. No harm in trying...

The slender Assassin looked at the seed and gently took it from Axe's naked fingers, tucking it into his coat. "I'll pass water on it first thing tomorrow," Ice Cream said quietly, "...I'll leave it under a boulder until we come back...see if it sprouts or not..."

"Good lad, good lad," Axe said patting him on the shoulder, before taking over and helping to smooth, the almost velvet fabric, out of creases from his harsh grip, "And thank you...for what you put yourself through...it meant the world to Juliet and I..."

"...a life for a life, right?" Ice Cream said sadly with a smile, as he watched Axe readjusting his tanned shoulder guard back to its original shape, "It was the least I could do for you both... I sometimes wonder what she'd say if she could see us now."

"She'd probably tell you to give me a good smack up the head from time to time," Axe chuckled, still trying to reshape the guard, "Juliet always had a great sense of humor. You know, the amount of times I came back from the field to see you and her talking non stop around the kitchen table, with Alice drawing pictures of her kittens and little Elliot playing in Juliet's lap... heh, I'm surprised anything got done on that blasted farm..."

A somber atmosphere descended upon the old friends.

"I miss Juliet too, Axe," Ice Cream said with a sad smile, blue eyes sincere, "...and...and your son-"

"Get some sleep," Axe abruptly interrupted, suddenly finishing the readjustment of Ice Cream's uniform and walking away, "...we'll be moving out at first light."

Ice Cream looked up seeing Axe's back moving away from him. He blinked sadly at the hidden topic that was brushed upon but yet both swore never to mention again. It was the past and it had happened. End of story. The lithe Assassin breathed in and out, focusing on his next task, automatically searching for his lover.

"Where's Green Coat?"

"Scowled himself to sleep," Axe nodded to a slumped over Green Coat, curled up by the fire, as he walked back to camp, "Sods had his tail between his legs ever since you shouted at him. The boy too."

Ice Cream let out a sad sigh as he jogged and caught up to Axe's side.

"Sort it out in the morning," Axe said before he stopped, "Oh, and before I forget...I have a letter for you."

"A letter?"

"Aye, Frederic gave it to me just as we left. And before you ask, no, it's not from his brother."

Ice Cream took the letter with a nod of thanks as Axe left. He walked back to his own sleeping coat and sat down, took his boots off and pulled the furs around his waist and over his legs before carefully opening the waxed sealed envelope with minimal sound.

_My Dear, Ice Cream. Forgive me for the suddenness of this letter however under the circumstances we are not able to talk face to face. I will not be able too when you return either. Thank you for all you've done from the bottom of my heart, old boy.  
_

Ice Cream frowned. Something was odd with this letter...

_We know that your relationship with Vincent is approaching two years, and as his former guardians we hope that he would also agree to be a willing participant in our son's future. We hold you both in the highest regards and as such you and Vincent do myself and Camille the greatest honor of becoming our son's God Parents. Camille has left Paris with our son and Alexina to be with Axe's sister-in-law. You may discuss this matter with him but I trust you to keep this information to yourself.  
_

Ice Cream paused, a warm feeling in his chest from being nominated to be a God parent. But...this letter seemed to be trying to tell him something other than what was being written. But what could it be? Ice Cream continued to read.

 _I understand that this may be a difficult request I ask of you for_ _Camille has told me of your condition._

Ice Cream flicked his eyes up to make sure no one was watching him before back at the letter, a very deep frown appearing on his brow.

_I would be lying if I said I wasn't hesitant from initial past experience, especially under the circumstances in which we first met. However myself and Camille are beyond excited for yourself and Vincent. We are both confident Axe will help keep the past from repeating itself in the best and safest way he can._

Ice Cream felt his lips purse, uncharacteristic anger brimming on the fridges of his mind.

_Thank you again for all that you've done and the happiness you've brought to not just our lives, but to Vincent's too. No matter what happens in the coming months, he will always be there for you._

Ice Cream felt his heartbeat quickening, frustration now joining it's fellow friend of anger within his chest. He took a breath as he looked away from the letter, shook his head and forced himself to return to reading the last part.

_The first diamond is in my possession, as is the lion statue in Axe's. We hope that when you reach the fountain, the second eye will be found. Forgive the sparseness of this letter as Master Connor has told me that our HQ has been compromised, as such you must know the Lion's powers has five chances of  
_

Ice Cream frowned. He flipped the page over, expecting the rest of the sentence but nothing. "The lion has five chances of...of what?" He looked at the letter carefully again and apart from a huge ink splatter to the side, there was no more. Hmm...what was he to make of that? A wave of exhaustion washed over him and he let it consume him. Tomorrow, Axe had said, sort it all our tomorrow. Putting the letter back into the envelope, he inserted it into an inner pocket and snuggled down into the comforting fur lined sleeping bag, still with his coat on. He pulled the cowl up over his head and nuzzled his face into the fabric, breathing deeply.

He could smell Green Coat.

A gut wrenching want to be with his partner tugged at his heart, but he forced himself to ignore it.

He had to have his own space tonight.

Ice Cream curled up further in his coat and fur lined sleeping bag, seeing out of the corner of his eyes Axe keeping watch over them all. Thoughts ran through his head at a frantic pace. Ice Cream stared into space annoyed out of his mind at Camille. What had she said to Frederic? What right did she have to make conclusion on his health? Suggesting that he was...that he was pregnant? That he was carrying Vincent's child? Wait, did she tell Axe her suspicions? She must have, why the hell did she have to meddle?! And didn't Axe try and pair Green up with a woman to sire an heir? So...if he was, then perhaps that's why Camille had kept Axe from badgering Green more? But no, that didn't seem right...

Ice Cream blinked slowly.

No, he couldn't even think of that. Perhaps before the stable incident they might have had a chance but not now. Not on a mission and certainly not in the middle of a Revolution. They were Assassins for goodness sake, not a family...or were they? Ice Cream smiled sadly to himself seeing the other group members asleep. He shouldn't even have been chewing on that root. Ice Cream pressed a hand to his chest, a breast aching dully. He dozed, listening to the sounds of the forest. It lulled him and he was about to fall asleep until he felt a pressure behind him. The heavy sent of musk hit him making him instantly alert with euphoria.

Green Coat laid gently down next to him, close but not enough to touch. After a few minutes of hearing the younger bed down, Ice Cream quietly turned over to face him and saw the twenty year old curled up asleep, green hood up over his head. It was a bold move with Francois snoring loudly just across the way but Ice Cream momentarily forgot himself and moved his hand out to stroke Green Coat's hair, a feeling of deep affection rushing over him. If Camille was right, then what would Vincent say or do? Would he be happy? Indifferent? Or...would he be angry? Angry that something like this could happen in the middle of a dangerous period in their life? They were Assassins. Nothing else. Wait, the fact he couldn't remember the blonde haired woman's name was proof enough he had no interest in playing happy families...but then what about the conversation that they both had in the secret garden? "I wish I could have that child with you," Vincent had said. But was it truthful? And what about his own body? What if Green Coat was repulsed? His body, if it was carrying, would change. The figure, the Ice Cream he knew that gave Green Coat so much pleasure would be gone. Replaced with a body that had one thing on it's mind; the need to nurture a new life.

What if the past was about to repeat itself?

Dizziness and horror hit him in the gut.

Feeling shame and grating frustration, Ice Cream pulled his hand back and tucked it tightly to his chest, feeling that small brown cloth that he always carried with him pressed close to his chest under this shirt. He closed his eyes, feeling like his body was betraying him and throwing him an unattainable wish all at the same time.

What was he to believe?

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wings- Pardon the late updating, this was due to traveling with work.  
> ~  
> British English Expression(?):  
> to have the runs = to have diarrhea  
> ~  
> History Note: Testing for pregnancy in ancient times was tricky, but one way was by using the seeds of either barley or wheat. If, after urinating on them, the seeds sprouted it meant the person was expecting. If no shoots appeared, then all clear. Scientists now believe this is due to the excessive estrogen in the body produced at the start of pregnancy which triggers growth in these types of seeds. While not 100% accurate, it was widely used for centuries in Egypt and other countries.


	34. (E)Tinned History

**WARNING: The following chapter contains violence and explicit sexual content. (The usual culprits)**

~

"Alright gents," Axe called, clapping his hands around the group of sleeping Assassins, "Let's get our asses moving! Only a matter of time before Templars notice a group is missing! Up, up, up!"

"You don't think we could be found? From our camp?" Arno asked from the extinguished fireside, as Axe crouched down and gently shook a faintly snoring Francois awake. The already awake blue coated Assassin yanked the draw string up to his chest as his own travel bag tightened, throwing it over his horse and securing it as Axe straightened back up, flexing his neck with a crick.

"Nah," Axe said, giving the black charred ground another good kick with a heavy boot, "Our tracks can't be followed from the field, hence the stream path we took yesterday-"

"Francois! What are you doing?"

Both Axe and Arno looked up at the annoyed sounding voice and saw Ice Cream leave his own packing next to his horse and walk briskly over to where the nineteen year old was sleepily stacking the previous night's mess tins haphazardly into a dark brown bag.

"Those are still filthy," Ice Cream said staunchly, motioning to the square tins in the teen's hands, "...they need cleaning first before you pack them away, can't you see that?"

~

Arno saw a sleepy Francois nervously look away from Ice Cream.

"Seems not all of us got a good nights sleep," Arno said to himself, looking back to Axe before he noticed the other party member was missing, "Where's Green Coat?"

"Gone to have a slash," Axe said, turning his attention with a frown to where Ice Cream was towering over Francois.

"He'd better hurry," Arno scoffed, casting his head back to the same scene Axe was watching, seeing Francois hesitantly pick up a different bag from the forest floor, "Ice Cream's got a bee in his bonnet."

"Hmm," Axe said slowly with a deep frown, still carefully watching Ice Cream and Francois from the way with a frown, pulling the saddle tight on his horse.

"Want me to go over there?" Arno offered, concerned about the unfolding scene and Ice Cream's unusual behavior.

"Nah, stay here. I'll go and see what's goin' on."

~

"No look," Ice Cream snapped with not so well hidden frustration, snatching the tin from Francois' startled hands, "You put the tin in this bag here, _this_ is the dirty one, not that one. And look at your tool kit, do you even know how to properly look after it?"

"...I don't know," Francois said quietly, rubbing sleep from his eyes with a hand and a blink, turning his curly head away with a sorrowful look to his open tool kit on the floor, "Maybe if you spent more time teaching me then I might."

Ice Cream jerked his head back to face the teen.

"Excuse me, what was that?"

Francois hesitated. He had liked Ice Cream, had looked up to him, but the man was being completely unreasonable. Why was he in such a foul mood? Why did he shout at him earlier? What had he done? He hadn't felt happy or motivated in his Lock Picking or Assassin duties for ages until he spoke to that old Assassin, Henri de la Vert. He wanted the friendly Ice Cream back, not this fidgety impostor with a short fuse and bad attitude. Yes, he had to change tutors. Ice Cream had enough on his plate, whatever that was, and he didn't want to be around someone who made him feel low. Well, time to tell Ice Cream, he supposed...

"You're...you're not teaching me anymore," Francois said quietly yet confidently, forcing a hard look onto his face and bracing himself for the feel of betrayal, "I've tried asking you to spend more time teaching me but...you seem not interested these days. So I've got a new tutor. You don't need to worry yourself with me furthermore."

The copper haired Assassin stared down at the sitting Novice.

"...and just who is this new tutor?" Ice Cream asked after a long pause, frowning, licking the inside of his bottom teeth, hands now on hips.

"You're old mentor," Francois said, looking away and putting the dirty mess tins into the correct bag, "Monsieur Henri de la Vert."

Ice Cream's eyes flew open. He slammed a gloved hand hard onto the bag that Francois was opening and lowered his face to inches away from the boy's.

"You are to disregard everything he says to you."

"What?!" Francois yelped, jerking back from being startled at having Ice Cream's face shoved into his.

"I will be your teacher, no one else."

"W-why?" Francois stuttered, "He was your tutor, he can teach me. It's clear as day you have other things on your mind."

Ice Cream narrowed his eyes.

"...are you saying I don't know what I'm doing?"

The youngest member of the group looked up, making eye contact, not knowing what to say to calm the situation. He tried to tilt his head away from the aggression pouring off the other man as he felt pain in his chest now coming to him at having to ditch the Assassin as a mentor. But what did it matter? Who was the one being aggressive right now? Ice Cream was the one to blame, not himself. He had literally no quarrel with Ice Cream. Was it because he had mentioned about the rumor? Was the Assassin angry? Yes, that was it, he must be. Francois would say he was heavily embarrassed that he had suggest to Ice Cream everyone thought he fornicated with men and hated that whatever else he had done had really pissed off the one Assassin he really admired. It was painful to admit that the future close friendship he had envisioned with Ice Cream was looking less likely. Yes, he shouldn't have challenged those older Assassins in the meeting room, but they were vile people! Not only were they tarnishing Ice Cream's reputation but that of Green Coat too. Neither would sleep with other Assassins, or each other, in a millions years! They were close but that didn't mean they were shagging each other. Gossip was poisonous, something had to be done! But now looking into those blue eyes, it seemed he couldn't do anything right. Crushing failure punched Francois' gut. Might as well not bother, he concluded. Feeling tired and not wanting to continue the argument, Francois looked away with annoyance, wishing to end the conversation.

"Whatever," Francois muttered.

To the amazement of the entire group, Ice Cream lashed out and grabbed the boy by the scruff of his white neck scarf, harshly dragging him up to his face.

"You are never to speak to that man again, do you hear me?" Ice Cream demanded.

"What?!" Francois shouted back, terrified at the sudden aggression.

"You heard me, never speak to that man!"

"Why?!"

"Do as I say, boy," Ice Cream growled.

Francois stared daggers up at Ice Cream and waved goodbye to his patience once and for all.

"...the _hell_ is wrong with you?"

~

"Ice?" Arno heard Axe call from next to him at the horses. The Ex-Templar looked over to where the other two were by the dead fireside and saw with a huge start Ice Cream holding the boy by the scruff of the neck.

"What on earth?" Arno breathed and began to run down the small embankment towards them, his belts and sabre clanking together, following a sprinting Axe.

~

"Promise me!" Ice Cream yelled, blue eyes hard and intense at Francois' own eyes, grip not relenting.

"Let go of me!" Francois gritted through clenched teeth, slamming both hands onto the gloved one holding him by his scarf.

"Promise me!"

"Why should I?!" Francois shouted back into Ice Cream's face, "LET ME GO!-"

"DO AS I SAY, BOY!-"

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, MY MOTHER?!-"

_**"PROMISE ME!-"** _

_**"YOU'RE HURTING ME!-"** _

"HEY, HEY, HEY NOW!" Axe shouted running over and putting one hand on Ice Cream's shoulder and the other on the hand holding the Novice, as Arno ran over to Francois, "That's enough. I don't know what's going on 'ere but-"

"Ask _him!_ " Francois spat at a murderous looking Ice Cream.

"Look," Axe said calmly to both Novice and Assassin, "we're all highly strung right now, Lyon is just across the way, no need to take it out on the boy-"

"So much for your promises," Ice Cream shot towards the burly leader, oblivious to the fact Green Coat had rejoined the party a while ago and was watching the entire confrontation from the edge of camp stunned into silence at the scene that greeted him.

"Oi, that's enough from you," Axe said with deadly calm, drawing himself up to full height, staring dark brown eyes down at Ice Cream, "You need to calm down. Now."

Ice Cream breathed heavily for a long time, eyes casting between the adults, nostrils flared as the grip on Francois's neck scarf shook in a vice. He looked away and saw a very confused twenty-two year old standing at the edge of camp making the tall Assassin growl, release the scruff of shirt and storm off into the forest in the direction where his lover was standing.

The group watched in silence as the ginger stomped away.

"What happened?" Arno asked looking between Axe and Francois when Ice Cream was out of ear shot.

"Shit the bed, Ice," Axe swore to himself, closing his eyes.

"Back...back at Versailles," Francois breathed, trying to calm himself down, a hand harshly pulling his scruffy white scarf from his neck, "I was talking to an old guy with my mother when that mental case dragged me away. What the hell is his problem?! What have I done?!"

"You've done nothing, lad," Axe said patting him on the back with a thoughtful nod, "Ice's has got...well, he has health problems so he isn't really all there. He'll apologize in time."

"I don't want his apology," Francois said harshly, now re-tying the neck collar, "I've had enough of his attitude towards me. Did you see what he did?! That was completely uncalled for."

Arno was suddenly struck by a parallel vision of his own prickly relationship with Green Coat.

"Green!" Axe shouted, making the still standing and shocked twenty-two year old from the edge of camp look up with a noise of surprise, turning back around from where he had watched Ice Cream storm off into the forest from, "Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

Green Coat nodded nervously, unfroze his limbs and went after his partner into the dense forest, dazed.

"The medicine Ice takes ain't been working as of late, lad. Bit hard to get hold of genuine supplies in a Revolution, so try not to take it personally. Best to give him a bit of space," Axe reassured the teenager, "Plus, none of us know exactly what's at the fountain in Lyon so we're all on tender hooks-"

"But that's no reason to scream and shout at me," Francois said, finally calming down with a hurtful undercurrent, finishing retying his neck tie, "And what does he have against my new tutor? Monsieur Henri de la Vert taught _him_. Why does he hate his mentor so much?"

"You're right, it's not your problem, but..." Axe said, with another thoughtful pause, "That man, that you were talking too, Monsieur Henri? He and Ice had an pretty bad altercation many years ago. He don't want you involved-"

"But that's got nothing to do with me!" Francois said with a frown of exasperation, "...and Monsieur Ice Cream's not my keeper."

"That I can't argue with," Axe said before looking around, keen to wrap up the dramatics and continue with the mission, "...but you'll come to learn though, lad, that there are things going on in people's head, including us Assassins, that as much as you want to help, ya' can't. Lead a horse to water and all that."

"Here, here," Arno agreed.

"I just," Francois sighed, bending down to pick up the last of the bags, "I thought we were friends...Monsieur Ice Cream and I...," Francois paused and looked at the gifted blue band on his upper arm, "...he was there for me when my father died...and I just...I want to help the team, you know? Not to cause tensions over....dirty cutlery."

"Good," Arno said, patting the teen on the back, "...that's why you'll make an excellent Assassin, right Axe?"

"Oh, aye," Axe said with a smile, as the three men resumed their packing, "But rest assured, you've don't naught wrong, son. The issue lies with Ice Cream and him alone. He's probably with Green right now, regretting everything he said to ya' just now. Take it from me, he thinks very highly of ya'."

Francois nodded sadly with a hint of a smile.

"Good lad," Axe said patting a large hand on the teen's shoulder blades, "Now, fancy going and getting us some water for our water skins? We're gonna be riding for the whole day so best we get stocked up before heading out."

"Oui," the nineteen year old nodded, exchanging the bags in his hands with the small empty water skins offered to him from Axe, "Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Axe."

"Think nothing of it, son," the leader winked, "Streams that's way, see you in a few."

Arno and Axe watched as the teen walked off, shoulders less slumped over than before, round the corner of a boulder in the direction of a small waterfall.

"Do I dare even ask?" Arno said when the coast was clear.

"Bloody dramas," Axe rumbled with anger, looking over his shoulder towards Arno with frustration, "...this ain't the feckin' time for 'em. Best keep ya' head down, Arno. Ice really is under the weather and when I said before that our Ice Cream has a terrible temper; I weren't joking."

"Wasn't that him losing his temper just now?" Arno asked, remembering Ice Cream "loosing" his temper after the storming of the banquet guests by raising his voice ever so slightly.

"Nah, that were nothing," Axe said hoisting himself up onto his snorting horse, "You know that they say, it's always the quiet ones. But don't worry, Ice will sort himself out. Or I'll do it for him."

~

Ice Cream found his target. He stomped up to the unsuspecting large rock and struck it hard with all the force he could muster on the heel of his boot. Before cursing loudly in pain when the force ricocheted up his leg.

"Ah-ah-shit!" He gasped in shock, turning around and limping away from it-

"Hey," Green Coat called softly, jogging through the foliage, finally catching up to his lover in a less dense patch of wood, "Hey, what's wrong? What happened back there?"

Ice Cream stopped limping and frowned, trying to salvage his mental state.

"Nothing, just..."

Green Coat tilted his head with a look, before randomly noticing a streaking patch of moss missing on a nearby rock. He frowned at his lover.

Ice Cream sighed, rubbing his leg over a boot.

"After I left you, Arno and Axe at the HQ's stables, I went to get Francois from the main building and I had a run in with..." Ice Cream went to say but closed his eyes, stilling his movements, hands on hips, "...my past...so did Francois."

"What's it to you if Francois speaks to...to him?" Green Coat swallowed, his chest beginning to rattle with jealously, knowing who Ice Cream was most likely referring too.

"It's...it's complicated," Ice Cream said rubbing his eyes with the back of a gloved hand, "Of all the bloody times...now really isn't the time to bring this up, we have a mission..."

Green Coat gave him a look.

"....The boy is my student, Green. Henri was a poor excuse for a tutor and I don't want him exerting influence on Francois what so ever-"

"Why?" Green Coat blurted without thinking. The shouting from the dinner offering incident still smarting and Francois admission to his birth mother's true name not going away inside his head. A previously thought nasty theory began to gain traction in the young man's head. Green Coat shifted uncomfortably on the spot. "What's it to you if Francois has another teacher? Or is...you don't want Francois being taught by him because he was your....former partner?"

"I just said why," Ice Cream said with an annoyed frown, "Francois is _my_ student. I don't want Henri having any influence over him what so ever."

"..."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No, you're giving me that look-"

"What look?"

"That look when you want to say something you shouldn't," Ice Cream said, grabbing Green Coat by the forearm and searching deep brown eyes, "No, what is it? Was it...was it that I forgot myself and snapped at you over dinner? For which I apologize for right now."

The Lock Smith looked up at his partner and shook his head.

"It's nothing, forget it," Green Coat said, quickly turning away feeling that beast in his chest trying to wiggle its way out of its cage, "You're right, we need to get back to the others, Lyon isn't that far now." Keep your mouth shut, Vincent, Green Coat commanded his body. The mission. Get back to the horses and continue with the mission. Now was not the time to deal with yours or other people's demons-

"Vincent," Ice Cream whispered, jerking back that arm he had in his grasp, "...trust me when I say that now is not the right time to test my patience-"

Green Coat made eye contact. Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning and out of no where the beast, using the hurt from the shouting and the underlying paranoia within himself, finally broke free.

"Are you related to Francois?"

Ice Cream blinked.

"W-What?"

"Related."

Ice Cream blinked again with a frown.

"What does that have to do with anything?-"

"Just answer the question."

Ice Cream pulled back, making a face.

"...no."

"Don't lie to me."

Silence.

"I am not lying," Ice Cream said, taking his hand off of the Assassin and moving back from the heavily scowling younger man.

"I'm an Assassin, Ice," Green Coat said with a forced stony face, "I can tell when someone is lying."

"Well guess what, I'm an Assassin too," Ice Cream replied, still frowning, stepping back more from his partner, "And I know _you've_ lied to me. You've met Henri."

Green Coat's eyes widened.

"What?! How-?"

"You two were even chummy from what I've been told," the ginger Assassin accused, "Had a grand time making lock designs, did you both?-"

"How the hell would you know that?" Green Coat said, mouth open, a shocked frown on his face before it turned dark with realization, the beast feeding and growing stronger within, "I went to make sure he wasn't a threat to you and...wait, have you...have you taken council with him?!"

"So what if I have?"

Green Coat felt the anger welling, the beast full of hurt, fear, jealously and anger taking full control and for the first time in their relationship he squared himself up to his lover.

"Is Francois your son?"

Ice Cream stared, arms crossed over a tanned buttoned coat.

"My what?"

"From a previous relationship."

Ice Cream let a small and amused smile on his face.

"....Francois and myself might look like each other, Vincent, but I can assure you that-"

Green Coat felt that beast dig it's claws into the roof of his chest and pull as everything fell in on him. Francois' cryptic words. The fact his mother was potentially called Iris. From the lack of sleep, from oddly craving sugar biscuits suddenly, knowing that mutilating monster Blue Hat was in the same room as them only a few hours ago, from knowing Henri was still in Ice's life and from the fact that every single fucking time he set eyes on Francois he saw part of Ice Cream's soul staring back at him. So Ice Cream wanted to lie his way out of this? Fine. All bets were now royally off.

Green Coat fixed his lover with stare.

"Is Francois the child you had with Henri?"

Ice Cream stared at him with wide blue eyes.

"...How...how could you ask me that? You know I can't have children!"

"He told me his birth mother is called Iris, _Iris_ ," Green Coat whispered with anger, "He looks like you, sounds like you, hell even he thinks you're both kin. So you tell me who's lying on if they can have children or not."

The air changed.

Ice Cream took a step back from Green Coat.

The younger, in a sliver of clarity, saw with a pang of horror a look of fear in those blue eyes that only ever looked at him with love. Suddenly the weight of what he had just done, what the beast of jealously and suspicion had made him say, had made him accuse, came to him. Green Coat saw that dark shadow, identical to the time Ice Cream ran off on him, descend upon his lover's face as Ice Cream eyeballed him as a dangerous threat.

"How dare you..." Ice Cream breathed, stepping away again, looking him up and down.

"..."

"How _dare_ you!"

"Ice-"

"How dare you stand there and spout such hurtful things when you very well know what is branded upon my skin!"

"I didn't mean that-," Green Coat desperately tried to back track, seeing Ice Cream's eyes moist.

"Then what _did_ you mean?!"

Green Coat shut his mouth, an intense frown on his face, paralyzed with regret and fear, not knowing what the hell to say. He wanted to take it all back but the beast, in a moment of weakness, had had its way with him and was now chuckling, gleefully returning to its cage, watching the fallout with pleasure. Green Coat desperately tried to think how to repair the conversation...but the damage was already done.

"From this moment on," the tanned Assassin said, pointing a finger at his partner with a face devoid of all warmth, now cold and harsh, "...do not grace my bed with your presence, Sir."

And with that, Ice Cream left.

~

"Looks like a good days walk," Axe said sitting on his horse, scrutinizing the crude leather and inked map over one knee, "See, Lyon's here, but we gotta go round this river and head out pass that village...if I can help it, I'd rather not enter it. God knows what the Revolution is doing to the folk out 'ere."

"It surely can't be any worse than in Paris?" Arno asked, high on his own horse, eyebrow raised as he picked a fat grain stalk out of his jacket, most likely from their galloping through the rye field yesterday, which Axe quickly took in between his thumb and forefinger.

"You're right," Axe said, looking at the head of that piece of rye and picking a black seed out of it, "It's a lot worse."

"Monsieur Axe, I've finished."

"Good work, lad," Axe called, throwing the stalk away, rolling the map back up and tying a thong round the middle, "Tie them skins to each horse, then saddle up."

"May I ride with either of you?" Francois asked, casting his eyes between the two Assassins.

"Sure," Arno said, knowing why Francois didn't want to ride with Ice Cream. He extended a hand out to the teenager and the Novice hopped on behind him.

"...oh 'ello, here comes trouble..." Axe said under his breath.

Arno turned to his left and saw Ice Cream walk back into camp, arms stiff and straight over to his tied up horse. The Ex-Templar tried to see the man's expression but it was hidden in his dark cowl as Ice Cream pulled the reigns free from a tree trunk and jumped up onto his mare. The animal bucked its head as Arno saw the Assassin kick its sides and trot up to Axe's horse.

"Stopped faffing around now, have ya'?" He heard Axe ask with a hint of his own brand of sarcasm. Arno didn't hear the lithe Assassin's curt response as he looked behind himself at the deserted camp. He was going to ask where Green Coat was, before he then saw the emerald clad man come running like a bat out of hell, over to his own horse, climbing up.

"Alright lads, we're off!" Axe called and the group of Assassins galloped back into the stream and made their way deep into the forest towards Lyon.

~

It had been four hours into the hard ride when the call went up to rest.

Arno noticed Ice Cream constantly urging his horse to ride side by side next to Axe's. He noticed also through out the day that the ginger Assassin was not only keeping very close to Axe but was completely ignoring Green Coat. Arno had felt the tension in the group the moment the secret couple had appeared and assumed they probably had had a lover's tiff. Francois still looked borderline anxious, clinging onto his blue coat, arms wrapped around his waist. Arno wondered if the boy knew of the truth between Green Coat and Ice Cream. Taking the boy under his wing during the ride, they had ridden in formation. Axe and Ice Cream on their own horses at the front, followed by Arno and Francois on one and then with Green Coat constantly lagging at the back. They trenched through the forest and a few times Arno didn't know if his peer was even there. Green Coat might as well of been invisible. The dark green coat helped of course.

As they rode, Arno suddenly realized something. Where was Mirabeau? Axe's brother-in-law? Didn't the man come to the HQ? Or was he now somewhere else? So deep in his own thoughts that Arno almost didn't register that they had now come across another stream.

Axe put his hand up and stopped them all for a quick break for the exhausted horses to drink and take a breath.

"Alright," Axe called from his heavily panting steed, "nearly there, you got ten minutes, ladies! We wanna get there before sun down!"

Ice Cream quickly got off his horse, lead the mare to the small river and began unpacking the dirty mess tins that was strapped to the side of his steed as it drank. He picked one out and turned it over in his hand, before tsking, shutting the bag and walking away from the group, filthy tin in hand.

"Ice, we don't need to clean those right now," Green Coat mumbled, trying to gain back contact, as Ice Cream passed him by. But the older man ignored him. "Ice..." Green Coat tried again but the Assassin continued to walk away further up stream until he couldn't see him anymore. The young Assassin watched with anguish from under his emerald cowl as his lover briskly made his escape.

"Monsieur Green Coat," a voice called to his right, nearly making him jump "...are you alright?"

"Er...oui, Francois," Green Coat lied, turning to see the Novice watching him. "You, er, need help with your horse?"

"Please," Francois smiled and the twenty-two year old helped the boy with scrubbing down his sweaty horse with a small brush.

Time passed and Green Coat looked to his left at the thick forest, trying to see where Ice Cream had gone. Damn it, he had to get away from the group. They only had ten minutes. Then he wouldn't be able to speak to Ice Cream as they rode without the others over hearing-

"Lad! Come here, I wanna teach ya something," Axe called from the way, pointing to his own horse who had thrown a shoe.

Green Coat nodded to the boy to leave rubbing down the horse to him, as Francois ran over to their leader.

Green Coat stroked the hand brush down the panting horse's neck slowly and began calculating his plan. He flicked his dark eyes around the group. Arno was re-tying his saddle and Axe was with Francois looking at the front hoof of his large horse. No one apart from himself and Francois had seen Ice Cream walk off. The dark haired Assassin made sure the coast was clear, dropped his brush, sucked in his pride and followed the ginger Assassin's trail. Five minutes. That's all he needed. Enough time to confront Ice Cream without making anyone wonder where he or his lover were, assuming they had both gone to piss. He carefully trod in the direction he had last seen Ice Cream heading, following his hearing of the river's small waterfall sloshing over rocks. After searching for a bit longer than he had anticipated, he found him. The ginger haired Assassin was crouched down near a larger part of the river and was scrubbing a grey mess tin harshly with his hands in the water. Green Coat crept up closer and saw the tin was already sparkling clean. But Ice Cream was still washing it vigorously.

"Ice?" Green Coat nervously called as so not to alarm the Assassin, "It's me."

Ice Cream continued to wash the tin in the river harshly, back to the newcomer.

"Ice Cream?" Green Coat said again, stepping closer to the Assassin.

No response.

Green Coat squinted but couldn't see Ice Cream's face from under the hood. It was obscured too much by the fabric. The twenty-two year old took his chance and moved himself up to just behind the crouching Assassin, now standing behind the man.

"...I'm...I don't know what to say..."

"..."

"...I'm sorry..."

"..."

Green Coat swallowed and looked around himself. Three minutes must have passed. Time was running out.

"I've put my foot in it, Ice Cream, I know..."

"..."

"...the truth is...Francois let slip his birth mother was called Iris. I wasn't probing, I swear..."

"..."

Green Coat felt frustration rising but it was being kept in check by his shame. He scanned his eyes around themselves again. Four minutes had gone. Time for a different approach.

"Ice Cream look at me."

"..."

"Please, Ice...," Green Coat pleaded desperately, but Ice Cream never stopped scrubbing, "...please, don't give me the silent treatment. I couldn't stand it when we argued back at the tavern..."

"..."

Green Coat felt frustration creep up his spine further as Ice Cream, paused, looked at the bottom of the tin, before dunking it back into the water and continuing to rub the tin harshly. The dark haired Assassin saw the man's wet hands were becoming red raw with the friction of cleaning and couldn't hold his tongue anymore.

"Henri still has his claws in you, doesn't he?-"

Ice Cream spun and launched himself at Green Coat's waist.

The two tumbled down with a splash into the mud as Green Coat felt the man struggle. He narrowly missed Ice Cream throwing a punch at his face, before he kicked out to try and get the man off of him. The two wrestled, limbs and splashing muddy water flew wildly up into the air. Curses and insults would have flown from their lips if they hadn't have met each others in the fray. The kisses began as harsh, dominant and needy but soon even they became a focus of the power game.

Ice Cream growled, and with a strength that shocked the younger, broke the kiss, grabbed Green Coat by the shoulder pads and slammed him up hard against a tree trunk on the bank, pressing himself angrily against that body, each fighting frantically to gain control, mouths dominating each other, hands clawing on uniforms.

Both men knew they had wrestled together in training as well as in the throws of passion or playfulness in bed together but this was none of those times. The body weight being thrown and grappled with was aggressive and both Assassin's knew it was only a matter of time until one of them got seriously hurt.

It was just a shame Ice Cream had completely taken leave of his senses.

Green Coat, lust now being thrown into the ring as his lover's body ground against his own, racked his mud covered hands down the sides of Ice Cream's coat, shoving a hand into the man's red sash, desperately trying to gain control as his spine screamed at the awkward position against the trunk. He shifted his hips to gain traction, before he realized he couldn't breath. He pulled his head away, breaking the suffocating kiss and using the momentum, slid off the tree truck sideways. Green Coat turned to try and pin the lighter coated Assassin down to calm him but it was brief freedom.

"Ice sto-!" was all he managed to get out before Ice Cream body slammed him back down onto the ground, face into the mud. He tilted his head to the side, looking over his shoulder with gritted teeth. Recognizing the moves the Assassin was using, Green Coat used the force of Ice's lunge at his back to throw the ginger over his own head and back into the dirt. Ice Cream cried out in surprise as Green pushed against the ground and lashed out at the arms that tried to get back up.

_"Aye, a terrible temper our Ice Cream has."_

Green Coat would have looked shocked if the voice of Axe wasn't currently echoing around and around in his head. He had in the past heard their leader mention and warn him that the shy thirty-seven year old had a secret temper, but as he had never personally seen Ice Cream loose his rag, thought the elder Assassin was being over dramatic or joking. However, now it seemed Axe was telling the truth all along.

Movements became tiring as they fought and grappled, mud and dirt hampering and now slowing each Assassin's movements. But with a cry, Green Coat threw his body onto the tallers' and pinned Ice Cream's arms down to the sides, hearing with terror the familiar "snick" of a hidden blade suddenly being unsheathed. Frightened, he grabbed the pinned man's hidden blade guard and awkwardly ripped the buckles off of it using his own hidden blade. He was concentrating on pressing his chest onto his lover's to still him so much that, to his great shock, Ice Cream jerked his head backwards before smashing their foreheads together. Green Coat cried out and fell to the side, accidentally throwing Ice Cream's hidden blade into the river, as his head exploded into blinding pain, vision blurring. The twenty-two year old fell to the side and on his back, but as he did, he subconsciously jerked a knee up to his own chest as Ice Cream descended on him. With a boot pressed flush against the man's upper chest he pushed out and Ice Cream was thrown back and into the mud again.

"BLOODY HELL STOP!" Green Coat shouted, hand to his forehead, eyes shut from the hot blood pouring into one of them, feeling liquid from where his stitches must have broken mingled with disgusting river bank dirt. He had to get Ice Cream to calm down! He blindly moved a hand out to the side, not knowing where he was in relation to the river. But as he did so, he miss-calculated where he actually was, fell and slid down into the river, back smashing against a large and half submerged boulder.

Green Coat gasped as the waist high cold water hit his bones, freezing his movements, but he didn't have time to curse. He looked up through one eye and saw Ice Cream coming for him again. He went to open his mouth to shout at the man to stop but felt his boot underwater press on a loose rock. An idea came to him like lightning. No amount of shouting was going to get through to his lover as, like a red mist, Ice Cream wasn't mentally there.

The wet and dirt covered copper haired Assassin, hands clawing through the mud, scrambled to get down the steep river bank, and threw himself back at his lover.

But Green Coat was ready this time.

~

Why did he have to sour his friendship with Ice Cream? Why couldn't they still be friends like in the first place?

Francois nodded his thanks at Axe's brief lesson on how to re-shoe a horse and looked behind him.

Green Coat was no where to be seen.

"Monsieur Green Coat?" Francois called but all he got in return was a silent answer from a few crows squawking in the distance. He looked around him and saw a glint of a tin floating its way down the small stream. Panicked, Francois quickly ran to it, the water splashing around his legs as he did so. He bent down and picked up the tin. It was Monsieur Ice Cream's one...Francois looked left and right for any sign of the two Assassins. Why was this here? Did Ice Cream drop it? Throw it away? Was...was he attacked and dropped it as a warning?! Theories, each more horrendous than the last, ran through his head. He looked up stream, then back at Axe and Arno with a start. The men were struggling with holding Ice Cream's mare who was bucking frantically with loud whinnies.

"Jesus Christ!" Axe yelled, trying to calm the horse down, pulling on the reigns with his large arms, as the beast bucked, kicking its front legs out, "What's gotten into ya, ya daft animal?!"

"Looks like it's trying to shake something off!" Arno shouted as he too pulled on the reigns.

"Quick about ya' lad! Pull the saddle off!"

Not wanting to disturb the preoccupied Assassins, Francois held the tin to his chest and began his search.

~

Green Coat timed it and grabbed the attacking man by the shoulder pads just before their bodies connected, making Ice Cream step on that wobbly underwater stone. The man fell to the side in the water and, in a circle, Green Coat spun them both and smashed his lover's front up against the side of a rock in the river. Ice Cream grunted as his chest was pressed up against the rock and the waist high cold water did it's work.

Ice Cream gasped, eyes wide as the freezing temperatures halted his limbs but not all of them. He growled, clumsily trying to wrap a leg behind himself, aiming to unstable the younger Assassin but Green Coat forced a thigh in between the Assassin's legs, trying to pin him to the boulder with his chest against the almond colored coat. He pressed his groin into Ice Cream's backside with a growl.

"Stop! Stop!" Green Coat grunted, waiting for the shock of freezing water to calm Ice Cream's body enough to make him see sense. He held the thrashing man there for a few moments, ignoring how his member was painfully hard before he felt fingers at his hip. Green Coat looked down and saw Ice Cream reaching behind, clawing at his red sash, trying to open his brown breaches under his wet emerald coat.

"What are you doing?" Green Coat breathed with a husky voice, watching those hands with one eye.

"Fuck me," Ice Cream ground out into the rock, yanking at Green Coat's belt. "Please fuck me-"

"No," Green Coat grunted, lust suddenly clouding his vision and making his skin tingle, "...you need to calm down. You're not ready-"

"I don't care!" shouted Ice Cream, "Fuck me!"

"I don't want to hurt you-!"

Ice Cream reached up behind him, grabbed a fist full of black hair and yanked it hard to his mouth.

 ** _"DON'T ARGUE WITH ME YOU ARROGANT PRICK!"_** Ice Cream screamed into his ear, **_"FUCK ME! THAT'S AN ORDER, ASSASSIN!"_**

Green Coat, now deaf in his right ear and blind in his left eye let animal lust take over. He reached up under the long coat of Ice Cream's Assassin uniform, with his bare hands, swiftly undoing his lover's belt underwater before the coldness of the water made him limp. He pulled the trousers down just enough to gain access, feeling with only his hands alone in the cold water, a side of a face pressed up against the ginger man's back. When the way was free of clothes, he freed his own his manhood, jerking against the body under him to get into position. He felt around for an entrance, found one and inserted two of his fingers, helping to widen the tight passage. 

"Did I say I needed foreplay you bastard?!" Ice Cream growled, jerking his hips back.

Taking the cue, the shorter Assassin growled back. Green Coat, flicking his wet shoulder length hair back out of his eyes, held onto Ice's hips and inserted himself slowly into the Assassin's entrance, blood trickling down his forehead and left cheek from their earlier fight, with a shallow thrust, before swiftly passing the tight ring of muscles and pushing himself up to the hilt.

Ice Cream gasped loudly as Green Coat breathed out with pleasure. The taller Assassin grit his teeth before he could scream, trying to stop anyone from hearing. Soon Green Coat was pounding into him with high and desperate whines of his own. There was a snap of a branch from behind him and Green quickly turned his lust hazed brain to it, blood still trickling down his face, seeing a wood pigeon fly up and out from behind a big rock. Green Coat suddenly felt himself about to orgasm and rested his head against Ice Cream's back once more accidentally smearing blood upon it. Both Assassins strained with the effort. Both muddy, bloody and bruised from the long forgotten fight, yet emotions still raw and painful. It wasn't long before Green Coat felt the other shuddering, tell-tale breathless gaps of Ice Cream about to orgasm. He put a hand above Ice's head on the rock, felt the Assassin tighten around him and spilt himself with a pleasurable grunt. Soon both Assassins were panting hard, pressed up against the rock as the water ran pass there spent bodies.

~

Francois couldn't move from his hiding spot. He couldn't think and didn't believe what had just witnessed. He had spotted the tanned and green coats from in between the foliage with a smile of relief that Ice Cream wasn't hurt. He was about to move back to the group when heard his name.

_"...the truth is...Francois let slip his birth mother was called Iris. I wasn't probing, I swear..."_

Francois paused. Why was Monsieur Green Coat talking about his birth mother to Monsieur Ice Cream? That was when he saw the fight. The two Assassins had punched and tore at each other like animals and Francois was so frightened he didn't know what to do. He went to move, to stop them but then just as quickly as the fight had begun, Ice Cream had pinned Green Coat up against the tree and they were kissing. He watched, terror seizing his limbs. Then they had fallen into the stream and were pressed up against the large boulder. He heard the vile words in Ice Cream's voice ordering Green Coat too...too...That was when he saw Green Coat pressed up against Ice Cream as they began. He had stood there frozen for how long, he wasn't sure, but quickly dived behind a rock, making a wood pigeon fly out. Peeking out from his hiding spot he saw the younger Assassin thrusting into Ice Cream like how he saw stray dogs do to bitches in heat. His limbs were like led and it was taking all his strength not to be sick. He wanted to run up to them, confused as to why, at first, he thought Green Coat was hurting Ice Cream. The sounds.They were the worst part. No, what he was seeing was something else, it had to be. They weren't sodomites! They couldn't be!

Francois began to tremble.

Axe. Arno. Get them. Get help from them. Tell them.

With a jerk of his legs, he scrabbled to get away and ran flat out back to the group.

~

"Gah," Ice Cream grimaced, pushing himself away from the rock slowly, numb from the cold, limbs shaking.

Green Coat, his own spent body shaking from the water's low temperature, pulled out gently and sluggishly guided them both out of the water and to the river bank where they both collapsed exhausted into the long grass, trousers around knees and water logged red sashes trailing behind them.

The black haired Assassin, shivering and sweat pouring down his face and stinging his forehead, spooned himself up behind his lover. He gasped for air, chest heaving and throat hurting, feeling the cold grass pressed up against them. He swallowed, looked down between their bodies and saw with horror a thin fresh blood trail trickling down one of Ice's wet thighs.

"Oh shit," Green Coat breathed, twisting left and right in a sudden panic to find something to help his injured partner. Finding nothing he reached over and dug around in an exhausted Ice's Coat inner pocket until he found a clean, if wet, handkerchief. He carefully pressed it to under the man's backside.

Ice Cream hissed with pain.

"Oh Gods, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Ice-"

"Hnn, don't be," Ice Cream winced, breathing sharply in with a smirk, before laughing with exhaustion, "...it's...it's been a while since you, hah, properly buggered me up the arse anyway, hah-gah!

Ice Cream suddenly cried out and clutched his stomach, curling up in a ball.

"What? What is it? Lemme see," Green Coat said, his own freezing cold and numb hands began unbuckling his partner's soggy coat, water dripping from his shoulder length hair, as Ice Cream curled up, holding his arms around his stomach protectively.

"No-" Ice Cream ground out into the grass.

"Where does it hurt?" Green Coat urged, a hand slipping under the coat.

"No, don't-"

"You're hurt-!"

Fingers brushed against a hard stomach.

_**"I-SAID-NO-HENRI!"** _

Green Coat froze, eyes wide.

Ice Cream very slowly looked up to the man above him and couldn't hold the denial back anymore.

"...he left me..." a broken Ice Cream whispered, wet hair plastered to the sides of his cheeks.

Green Coat blinked with sorrow.

"...he left me and our baby to die..."

Green Coat wrapped himself around his partner as Ice Cream broke down.

~

Green Coat laid there under the darkening skies, forehead throbbing and body shivering nonstop with Ice Cream in his arms. He dared not move. The man having sobbed himself into unconsciousness a while ago. The young man curled his form more around Ice Cream, keeping him safe and warm as best he could, even if he himself was shaking with cold.

Green Coat let his mind race.

It was true.

Francois was Ice Cream's son...he was Henri's son... but did it change anything?

Really?

Did it change anything?

No, not really. Ice Cream was still Ice Cream. He was still the same Assassin obsessed by books and prone to tripping up the stairs. What had now changed? All it meant was his lover had once been able to have children. And had a child with a former partner. Did Henri even know Ice Cream had given birth? Indeed, did Francois know who his parents were? Green Coat cast his memory back. No. No one knew. Not Francois, not Henri, not Axe or Arno...and Francois wanted to be taught by Henri? So that was why Ice Cream flew off the handle at the boy. The teen had no idea. Only Ice Cream was aware and...wait, did Frederic know? Green Coat's eyes widened a fraction. He did! He had too...Ice Cream was found by Frederic...Frederic must have known. Did Camille?

Something familiar flickered in the back of his memory, calling out his name. Like a dream from long ago. A sense of deja vu. Why was something so obvious staring him in the face but he couldn't recognize it? That feeling of wanting sugar biscuits...hearing crying in the night...argh, why did this seem so damn familiar?!

Green Coat blinked, still with one eye shut, at the many open paths of questions that were presenting themselves to him but he decided to stop. Ice Cream had kept this all secret for so long...no wonder he lost it. Green Coat suddenly looked down as Ice Cream moved gently in the circle of his arms. They had to get back. Shit, it had been more than five minutes. More than even twenty, he concluded seeing faint stars twinkling. The others would be looking for them. But part of him didn't care. He wanted to be with his partner. To make sure he was alright and not hurt. Yet, they were still Assassins. They had a responsibility. Lyon. The Piece of Eden.

Green Coat gently pressed his split lip to Ice Cream's warm forehead.

"Ice..." Green Coat softly called, nuzzling the damp locks of copper hair at the sides of his lover's face, "Ice wake up...we have to leave..."

Ice Cream stirred, opening up sore and red eyes.

"...huh...?"

"We have to get back to the others..."

"Where are we?" Ice Cream whispered hoarsely.

"In a ditch."

Ice Cream blinked slowly before he looked up with confusion at his partner's face.

"What are we doing in a ditch? And whats...what wrong with your eye?"

Green Coat smirked.

"You nutted me."

Ice Cream looked at him again.

"...I did that?"

Green nodded, one eye closed.

Ice Cream's eyes widened.

"Oh gods, your stitches!" Ice Cream croaked out, moving a hand up to the dry blood trail down the youngster's face.

"Don't worry, the bleeding has stopped," Green Coat reassured him, "...do you not remember anything?"

"I..." Ice Cream blinked slowly again, "I remember washing a tin...then...us against the rock..."

"Do you remember anything in between?"

"No...what happened?"

"We fought," Green Coat said before he chuckled, "You're quite good, it took me longer to learn some of those moves from Axe-"

 "GREEN COAT! ICE CREAM!"

Both men looked round at the faint calling from within the forest.

"Just," Ice Cream said with pained eyes, "Just go back to the others. I'll be fine-"

"And leave you to catch Hypothermia alone?"

The two shivering men looked at each other before they pressed their lips together softly.

"Thank you...," Green Coat said with warmth, as they gently nuzzled each other, "...for telling me about Francois."

Ice Cream gazed into his eyes before he looked down and slowly unbuttoned the lower part of his tanned coat.

The Lock Smith frowned with confusion as Ice Cream took one of his hands and placed it onto his lower abdomen.

"What do you feel?"

Green Coat rubbed a now warm hand over his lovers skin.

"Skin...muscle...those lightning marks....?"

"They're stretch marks..."

"Stretch marks?" Green Coat asked, the mystery of the lightning shaped marks now solved, "From..."

"From when I carried Francois," Ice Cream nodded quietly, "I was nineteen...Henri had no idea...still has no idea...these marks are the only proof it ever happened."

"Does Francois know any of this?"

"No," Ice Cream said, "And I don't want him too. Francois already has a family who love him...Henri and I just gave him life. Nothing more."

Green Coat pulled the Assassin close.

That calling from his past grew louder and louder, but it was speaking a different language. Green Coat searched his mind but couldn't understand what it was trying to say to him when another thought came...

"...could you...," Green Coat began nervously, resting his head on the Assassin's, "...could we have...?"

"We've coupled for more than a year and a half..." Ice Cream said quietly, drawing back and looking up between pewter eyes, bringing up a hand showing the Latin word for barren "Desolatoris" on his palm.

Green Coat pressed his lips to his lover's branded hand.

"ICE CREAM! GREEN COAT!" Arno's voice again called faintly from within the forest, "WHERE ARE YOU BOTH?!"

"Come we need to return to the others," the elder said with a small smile, "...we have a fountain to find. And before we catch, as you say, Hypothermia...wait, where's my Hidden Blade?"

Green Coat nodded over to the river before he helped his partner up to standing, straightening as best they could with soggy trousers and sashes, both leaning on the other as they finally hobbled back towards the group via fishing the blade and its ripped guard out of the water.

~

"Where the hell are those two?" Axe growled under his breath from the top of his highly agitated horse.

"ICE CREAM!" Arno yelled again into the forest, "GREEN COAT!" before he saw movement. He nodded towards his left, seeing the two late Assassins walking out of the forest.

 ** _"What the feckin' hell happened to you two?!"_** Axe yelled, turning his horse around to face the emerging couple, making Ice Cream's now calm mare snort with surprise, "Ten minutes, I said, not soddin' thirty! Or ain't either of you aware we're on a bloody time limit here?!"

A muddy and soggy Green Coat, dried blood smeared down half his face, split lip, one eye shut, limping with an equally disheveled and battered looking Ice Cream leaning on him appeared round a bend.

Arno was about to ask what the hell had indeed happened when he saw the tale-tell limp of Ice Creams' walk. The Ex-Templar scowled. Jesus, couldn't they go a day without fucking each others brains out? And judging by the state of Green's face it was getting way out of control. Arno set his face to stone. Did they really have that little respect for the mission at hand?

"What happened?" Arno asked, pointing to Green Coat's face who went to open his mouth but was cut short by their fuming leader.

"Oh I see," Axe rumbled, knowing what had really happened, "Tripped and fell down a well, did ya' Green?"

"We...er," Green Coat began, recognizing with a pause the hidden innuendo in Axe's words, but Ice Cream finished.

"...met a bear."

"A bear?" Arno asked unconvinced.

"Yeah..." Ice Cream said with a shifty look sideways.

"...A nasty bastard, he was," Green Coat said, touching the split stitches to his head with his finger tips.

"I didn't think there were any bears in this part of France," Arno countered, "...so why are you both soaking?"

"We fell into the river to get away from it," Green Coat growled staring one eyed at his peer.

"So why havn't we seen any-"

"Enough! Get your asses back in the saddle, before I thrash ya both well and good," Axe rumbled, as the group watched the couple hastily move over to their horses, " ...clean ya selves up when we reach Lyon. Sod's Law us calling for ya has attracted feckin' Templars."

~

Francois sat on the horse, numb to the world, keeping his eyes on the dark mane of Arno's steed in front of him. He flinched hearing Green Coat and Ice Cream's voices of apology filled with lies. Francois tried to swallow but his throat and mouth had gone completely dry. No, it wasn't true. It wasn't. What he had caught the two Assassins doing was not what he thought. No. No. No. They were not....they were not...they were not just...

Francois felt his chest beginning to hurt as the full gravity of what he had just witnessed began to sink in, tears forming in the corners of his eyes making his nose hurt. To distract himself, the curly haired teen quickly tied the mess tin to the horse. He had tried to bring the subject up with Arno and Axe but he felt too sick to open his mouth when had reached them, not trusting himself to keep his lunch down. So he had sat there, in silence as Arno had jumped up on the horse in front of him. He didn't even hear the man tell him to hold on, automatically gripping the blue coat at the man's back with shaking fists as they galloped off towards Lyon in the dwindling light of dusk. Francois didn't even smile when they finally walked onto the main road, seeing the lit tall buildings of Lyon on the horizon in the moonlight, for there were only two sentences echoing within his skull.

The rumors were true.

Ice Cream and Green Coat were sodomites.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> British English:  
> Faffing around = jerking around  
> to have a slash = to urinate
> 
> History Note:  
> The following is taken from Wikipedia on the subject of Sodomy during the French Revolution:  
> "Before the French Revolution, sodomy had been a capital crime under royal legislation. The penalty was burning at the stake. Very few men, however, were ever actually prosecuted and executed for consensual sodomy (no more than five in the entire eighteenth century). Sodomites arrested by the police were more usually released with a warning or held in prison for (at most) a few weeks or months. The National Constituent Assembly abolished the law against sodomy when it revised French criminal law in 1791 and got rid of a variety of offenses inspired by religion, including blasphemy; since there was no public debate, we do not know its motives."
> 
> The French Revolution was the main turning point for LGBTI rights, as there was a lot more freedom for indivuduals at this time. There is also evidence to suggest it has since helped pave the way for modern European laws to decriminalize sodomy. 
> 
> ~  
> Author's Note:  
> Holy Moly, nearly 3000 hits?! (Well, give or take 100 from myself and moon accidentally forgetting to sign in).  
> To those of you who are still with this story, I wish we could give you all a massive hug and to say thank you for sticking around. Myself and moon began this story over a year ago and, in the words of Axe: "it's still feckin going!"  
> We wrote several third arcs to this plot and we think this version is the right one.  
> To everyone who read this story and liked it, hated it, or thought it was alright, I want to thank you all.  
> Myself and moon have had some pretty life changing things happen to us during the time we were writing this (jobs, family etc) and are looking forward to the last quarter of this story. Onwards!


	35. (E)The Flight of Copper Trinkets

**WARNING: The following chapter contains strong sexual content towards the end.**

~

"How do you know the second eye is in Lyon?"

"What?" said Axe, "...the fact the two words are similar ain't ringin' any bells, lad? _Lyon? Lion?_ "

"You're not seriously saying that is the reason?" Arno asked with a sardonic eyebrow, as both Assassins rode on their tired horses, walking over the main dark stone bridge and through the towering and imposing gates of the City of Lyon.

"One of many possibilities," Axe replied, scratching his nose while casually looking at two large stone statues of lions on each gate post as they passed, "...but it's a coincidence they sound the same, ain't it?"

"I seriously doubt anything is that easy to conclude," Arno replied, casting his eyes to the same flanking statues of snarling beasts.

The group of Assassin, arriving in Lyon on horse back, ambled slowly though the gates. Arno took stock of their changing environment. They were faced with scenes very similar to that of Paris; many tired and stressed people passed them by, lugging heavy boxes, carts and sacks full of clothes, with children holding their mother's worried hands as people began to exit the town.

"Why is everyone leaving?" Arno asked as a group of five scruffy and tired looking women, huddled together and carrying sacks of silk, trudged by.

"The rich folk have fled from 'ere. Which means no one is buying up the fancy goods," Axe said as their horses' hooves clacked along the cobbled road. "Been a few riots here, too. Seems anywhere you go in this soddin' country people are starvin'."

Arno turn his head to the side and saw a pathetic looking Ice Cream and Green Coat on one horse behind them, both still damp and haggard.

"How long have you known a Templar has been in our ranks?" Arno asked, turning back to Axe, feeling Francois shift on his seat behind him.

"Frederic didn't organize the light show for no reason," Axe said, as they trotted under lit orange street lamps, "Since way back. The whole act was put on for the Templar, remember? We had to be careful, lull them into the plan. Which so far has worked, thankfully."

"So, remind me again," Arno said as his horse walked next to the larger man's "...what is the true story of what we're doing?"

"How do you mean, lad?"

"I am, quite frankly, confused at all the information that is being thrown around about what our team is _actually_ doing."

"We're heading to get the second diamond eye, Arno," Axe said, blinking that the boy didn't seem to be following the obvious narrative.

"So everything that Frederic has said up till now?"

The large leader scoffed a laugh to himself.

"Frederic lets excitement get to him, it jumbles up the messages he gives out."

Axe suddenly looked up at an open book shop they were passing and over his shoulder at a sleepy looking Ice Cream, before cupping a hand to his mouth.

"BOOK SHOP!"

Ice Cream bolted upright in his seat with a snort, waking himself up with a "huh?!" of surprise, followed by a shout from a green figure which almost slipped off the back of the horse.

Arno bit his lip at the scene, trying not to laugh as Green Coat cursed and struggled to stay on the horse.

"He wouldn't be the first Assassin, either," Axe nodded, making Arno smile at the memory of Ice Cream enthralled beyond reason in any book shop they entered. Arno was about to voice that it was probably a mean tease to jolt them both awake when both Assassins were exhausted and injured. But Axe read his mind.

"Gotta keep 'em both awake, we ain't safe till the tavern. All eyes open."

" So," Arno continued, feeling his thighs starting to ache from riding in the saddle for so long, "The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus did kill those two Templars?"

"Oh, aye, son. Frederic really did go there and grab the first diamond."

"But the real Fountain of Salmacis is not there?"

"Nope," Axe said with a wide grin from behind his beard, "But no one, apart from us lot and Frederic, knows it."

Arno smiled, "The Templars are going to Turkey. To the wrong fountain."

"Exactly!" Axe said with a laugh, "Oh, how I wish I could see their mugs when they realize."

"But what about the Mausoleum? That's real, is it not?"

"Aye, that it is. Dangerous too. I'm guessing we'll have to go there at some point, but not until we're prepared up to our teeth."

"What if the Templars break through the protection and into the Mausoleum first?"

"I'd like to see 'em try."

"And the timing of lights in the sky a few months back...?"

"Oh, no, no, that was real, son. Twas a natural happenin'. Coincidental it happened at the same time as the lion's eyes making all them pretty colours on the ceiling," Axe said before he sniffed, " 'course, I say that with all the sarcasm it needs. The lion and the lights are connected, lad. I don't think even Frederic realized that would 'appen. Took us all by surprise."

"And the names that were called out at the end of the last meeting?" Arno pressed, waving a buzzing fly out from in front of his face.

"Trusted Assassins," Axe said as the group of horses continued into the city, carefully picking their way around the crowds heading in the opposite direction. "Frederic told those that were called out that there were a Templar back in the room...he got 'em out to tell and arm them."

Arno's horse bucked it's head trotting into the side of Axe's animal as a thin and half naked man came too close. Arno did not like the way some of the towns people were eyeing up their horses.

"So that's why myself and Green Coat were called out?" Arno asked, the penny dropping as to who wrote the cryptic letter informing him his non existent horse was stuck in the middle of the road, "To get us both away from the scene before all hell broke lose?"

"Oui."

"What about Alexina?" Francois suddenly piped up anxiously from behind Arno's back.

"What?" Arno asked, looking over his shoulder at the curly haired teen.

"She was still in there! _And my mother_!" Francois nearly yelled with panic, bolting up right in his seat, but Axe reached over from his horse and patted the boy reassuringly on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, son. Alexina went to the kitchens with Mrs Breton, who also knows about the Templar. Your mother included. They and those street kids we took on, are heading off to stay with my sister-in-law on her farm. She'll keep your mother and Alexina safe, you have my word."

"What about Monsieur Hen...that really old Assassin?" Francois asked, nervously looking around to see how near Ice Cream was, "He could hardly walk."

"Mrs Breton will take care of him," Axe said with a nod, seeing out of the corner of his eye Ice Cream perk up.

"So it was an ambush?" Arno coughed, trying to change the subject.

"Oui, but just like life, it happened a bit quicker than we were planning," Axe said looking over to Ice Cream who had slumped back over, before back at the street they were in.

"...Where's Mirabeau?" Arno asked.

"Me brother-in-law does as he pleases," Axe sniffed matter of fact, scanning the tops of the buildings with hazel colored eyes, "We close, boy?"

"Yes, turn left here and my tavern is at the end of the street," Francois said, pointing.

~

The taller ginger guided the horse to follow the others, with the spare horse walking along side. Both battered men had decided to ride on the same beast to try and keep warm with body heat. Neither spoke. They were too mentally and physically drained to do so.

Green Coat slowly opened a puffy eye with the left side of his face pressed against the mud and blood stained back of his lover's Assassin uniform as the team of Assassins entered into Lyon. He was only barely aware of where they were, so ache ridden was his body that it was taking all of his strength not to fall off the horse. Ice Cream really did beat the snot out of him, he mused. Vincent, head throbbing from his split stitches, breathed in and out, feeling all the back muscles of his lover rippling under his chest. Vanilla entered his lungs and was keeping him distracted from the pain in his body, brought on from the fight. He could feel the warmth between their forms, his arms wrapped around Ice Cream's abdomen as the horse walked along the bumpy road, feeling their weapons clinking against their belts. He was barely listening to what Axe and Arno were talking about, lazily watching the passing scenery when he felt a hot jolt in his stomach. As their horse passed the gate posts, he saw a huge and snarling statue of a lion staring down at him. The light of the lit torches flickering on the bridge and under the square plinth that held the animal, made the beast seem alive.

And very, very angry.

Green Coat's grip around Ice Cream's waist increased as they passed by.

"How did you get the Templar's identity so quickly?" Green Coat heard Arno say to Axe up ahead.

The Lock Smith flexed his fingers from where he had quickly grabbed the saddle, seeing red marks of the leather strap across a palm from the impact. He knew why Axe had shouted. To keep them awake and alert. But he had seen that smirk from the Ex-Templar.

Green Coat growled under his breath, that old hatred towards his peer flaring.

He'd make sure to get back at Arno for that little stunt.

Prick.

"Francois over heard the key information," Ice Cream's croaky voice suddenly answered with a smile making Green Coat accidentally open both sore eyes.

Francois flinched which didn't go unnoticed by Arno.

"I...I did?" the teen stuttered quietly.

"Yep," Axe said, "That spy, we didn't know his first name, but now we do. "Frank". Could be a pseudonym but..."

"And he's the Templar?" The Ex-Templar asked.

Axe looked over at the secret couple behind them.

"Oui. A man we call "Blue Hat"," Axe said turning back to Arno as their horses moved around the towns folk in the semi dark street. "He wears a white feather sometimes, but not always."

“So that's who we've been after all his time?” Arno asked, a sliver of realization coming to him. Of a white feather above a door during the storming of the banquet hall months ago.

“Aye. He's slippery than an eel. Over the past two years he keeps darting out from under our noses. Not sure how he's doin' in."

"It sounds like he's done something personal to you."

There was a sharp silence around the group as the horses continued down the road.

Arno waited for a reply as they rode slowly down another street then to the left and round a bend.

"...Not just to me, lad," Axe carefully whispered, before tilting his head to indicate the two men behind them.

Arno got the message, nodding, wondering if this "Frank" was involved with the Novice Fight at the stables that Green Coat had been forced to watch.

"And he wants the Lion, too?"

"Oh, aye, more than we do."

"So why here?" Arno continued, nodding to the street they were on. "If it really is all in a name sake. For which I still don't believe."

"You're asking a lot of questions, lad. Didn't know you had so many miss givings-"

"They are not misgivings. I only wish to confirm facts."

"A true Assassin," Axe smiled with a toothy grin. "We know the second eye is in Lyon from the months we spent hiding out in the library," Axe said as his horse shook its head with a snort from a dirty rat darting out from under a wooden crate. Axe turned slightly in his seat and called over his shoulder, "Cheers for those books, Ice!"

A tired Ice Cream half heartily nodded.

"I recognize that sky line," Arno said as they reached a familiar quarter of the city, "This way, Francois?"

"Oui, the tavern's at the end of this road."

A smiling Axe turned in his seat to the two shivering and slumped over Assassins behind him.

"Cheers up lads! Food n' Board is in sight!"

~

They arrived at Francois's tavern which, Arno noticed upon a second visit, was slightly smaller than Mirabeau's. The thatched roof he remembered as unique and there were a couple of dogs sniffing around the side of the building, who quickly darted off when a grey cat ran off down a side alley. They stabled their horses in a small outbuilding and entered.

Arno looked around, breathing in the warm air of the tavern, hints of spices and mead filling his lungs. He frowned. Odd, the place didn't seem as bare the last time he was here with Ice Cream. A few tables and chairs were out with men and a couple of women chatting and laughing by the fireplace, tankards in hands. A skinny flute player was off to the side, his instrument loudly warbling some tune of the revolution to the small gathered audience. Well, perhaps he remembered the furniture wrong. The place seemed as friendly and as safe as he had last remembered.

"Welcome back!" a young voice called out and Francois replied, running over and slapping the upper arm of his best friend, a thin teenager with bad teeth and a bowl cut hair piece, who as it turned out, was looking after the tavern in its owners absence.

Arno entered into the main room, hearing the others moving in behind him and frowned again. If he didn't know any better, there seemed to be a general lack of metal around the room. Bare patches on the walls showed where ornaments once hung and the large black cauldron that resided in the corner was gone. There was a loud pop and he quickly turned to see the group by the fire shriek with laughter as a flame licked up higher than its neighbors into the red bricked chimney. Seemed a tad dangerous, Arno though, that fire should have a grating.

But it seemed he wasn't the only one to notice.

"What happened here?" Francois asked with worry, eyes wide at the interior's condition, "Where are my pots? The metal grating over the fire place?"

"Taken," Peter said with a pained expression.

"What?!"

"The council in Lyon issued a decree last month," the teenager said, offering a tired looking newspaper to Francois, "...that all copper from private establishments were to be surrendered to the marshal."

A battered Green Coat and Ice Cream walked in, bodies shaking, coats dripping water, and caught the shocked eye of Peter.

"Monsieurs are you alright?" Peter asked with an open mouth staring directly at the dried river of blood down the side of Green Coat's muddy face. "Do you require a doctor?"

"...we got into a fight," Green Coat muttered with one eye shut, "...bear."

"He won," Ice Cream added, nodding his messy and damp copper head to his lover, before asking his partner with his eyes.

Green Coat shook his head.

"And no, we don't need a doctor," Ice Cream said to Peter, "But thank you."

"The wash room is on the third floor," the staring teen offered, after a pause, with an open palm to the nearby stairs. "There are fresh towels and water to wash with inside. I can have your clothes cleaned too, if you'd like?"

"Merci beaucoup" Ice Cream said with a smile, his voice hoarse, as Green Coat wiped some mud off of his own nose.

"There are clean shifts in the wardrobe," Peter continued, "...if you leave your dirty clothes on the side I'll have them washed."

"There's extra coin in it for ya' if you get it all done by morning," Axe said, unbuckling his large Axe from his back, "We be on a bit of a time scale, you see."

"Understood Monsieur," Peter bowed as the secret couple began to trench upstairs, "I shall get onto that right away-"

"Only one at a time," Francois loudly called, not looking up from the newspaper in his hands, blue eyes stationary on the page.

Both Assassins looked round at the teen then at each other as Axe and Arno across the room raised identical eyebrows under their cowls.

"...the wash room is not big enough for two," Francois stated, still staring at the newspaper, eyes not reading.

"...you go," Green Coat said with exhaustion to the back of Ice Cream's dirty uniform as he turned and hobbled back down the wooden and creaking staircase. He made his way over and sat down at a free table with a squelch.

"You got any iodine, son?" Axe asked, walking over to join Green Coat and taking his huge axe off his back, propping it against the side of the table, rolling his stiff shoulders.

"Here, Monsieur," Peter said, jogging over to a side cabinet. He made a quick dash back over to the table, offering a clean cloth to Green Coat along with a small bottle of iodine.

Green Coat grunted a thanks and took the offered items as Axe decided to, instead, lye his huge axe on the wooden table, throwing the heavy belts over the handle nonchalantly with a sigh. The twenty two year old began to sluggishly prepare the cloth with one eye until Axe snatched it and the bottle away from him.

"Give it here, ya can hardly see...idiot."

The dark haired man didn't protest as their leader none too gently cleaned the side of his face of mud and dried blood with one clean linen cloth before dashing the smelly liquid onto another. He wanted to slap that huge hand away, he was an adult, he could take care of himself, but a wave of dizziness made his world sway and Axe took over. Green Coat grit his teeth, a whine escaping his lips, as the chemicals burnt into his already abused skin, slamming a fist down onto the table, the other hand automatically gripping onto the large one at his forehead.

"Don't be taking it out on the table, son. Francois worked hard for that," Axe chided as he held the cloth to the man's forehead, ignoring the younger Assassin's nails digging into the skin of his large hand holding the cloth in place. "You need to keep this wound clean or it's gonna go bad."

"...it wasn't my fault..." Green Coat meekly threw back under his breath.

"Hmm...move your hand," Axe replied, taking the iodine covered cloth away and checking the now yellowed stained forehead of the younger Assassin. "...A bear my arse," he muttered under his breath, throwing an accusing eye down at Green Coat who looked away.

Arno, standing nearby, picked up a newspaper from the side, seeing the orders the lanky boy had repeated, given out in large textual letters across the periodical.

"Blimey," Axe said looking over his shoulder while unwinding some white gauze bandage from a wad, "September already?"

"Time flies," Arno said opening the newspaper.

Time to catch up on the morbid play called "The French Revolution".

"Why?" Francois said, finally looking up from his own copy, with a deep frown to Peter, "Why on earth does the Marshall need my copper?"

"For the War effort," Axe's voice boomed from table, carefully dressing a subdued Green Coat's head, before casting a look at Peter. "I'd reckon. Son?"

"Oui, Monsieur," the other teen nodded, "The City has been told the copper is to be melted down and made into weapons and shot for our armies."

"Or more likely sold to the highest bidder," Francois said with a dark frown, throwing down the newspaper harshly onto the bar.

"Prussia is very much getting up our skirts," Arno muttered, continuing to read his own newspaper. Paris, so he read, was now descending into further chaos, along with many other cites. The National Assembly had taken over great swaths of France and the Revolution was known as "healthy".

Although, the paper didn't seem to be happy about it.

Arno read further and noticed with a start that the entire newspaper was anti-revolutionary. Indeed, the articles were supporting efforts to stop the Revolution in its tracks. Saying it was getting out of control and that France was descending into Civil War, if it wasn't already. That was when it clicked. The people leaving. The semi empty streets. With Lyon being such a large city, it was only a matter of time before the National Assembly in Paris cast its watchful eyes to a stubborn Lyon.

Arno swallowed.

How long before the pressure on this city to conform would break?

Arno shook his head. It didn't matter to the Assassins. They'd be out of here before anything like that happened. But one thing Arno was willing to bet money on; Lyon would bow in the end to the Revolution, it would be too risky to revolt with such a large population outside of Paris. But what about Francois and his tavern? What would happen to him if such a thing came to pass?

The group by the fire shrieked again as a flame roared out of the grating and struck a drunk man's foot, making him yell and dance around on one leg, slapping his smoldering shoe hard with a flailing hand while his friends laughed loudly.

"Alright," Francois sighed, dragging his eyes away from the spectacle, "I'll deal with the copper theft later. Peter?"

"Oui?"

"How full are we?"

"We're not," the boy said, "....rooms are empty."

"Empty? What, all of them?"

"Oui, people are leaving Lyon, Francois, not staying."

"Why?"

Arno opened his mouth to mention the counter-revolution and lack of silk buying but Francois's sigh of defeat stopped him.

"Never mind, tis actually fortunate we have rooms free right now...," Francois said with a sigh at potential lost earnings as he turned to the other Assassins, "Gentlemen, if you look to your left there is a floor plan of my tavern on the wall. That at least hasn't been taken."

The three men watched as the nineteen year old instructed them on which rooms they would be staying in while pointing to the tanned map. Arno had the corner room, Axe next to it, where as Green Coat had the room nearest the stairs and Ice Cream had the attic.

Which was, interestingly, the furthest away from Green Coat's room.

The dark haired man kept his mouth shut, feeling dizzy and not really looking at the map. All he wanted to do right now, forehead be damned, was dash up those stairs and join his lover. But for now, best to sleep in separate rooms and not get caught, a voice in his head chuckled, making him attempt a smirk from under his shoulder length hair. If only his world could stop violently spinning.

"Brilliant," Axe said with a smile, slapping his dark leather gloved hands together and rubbing them, "Got any grub we can nosh on, lad?"

Francois looked at Peter who nodded.

"Oui, Monsieur. I'll heat up the vegetables."

THUD.

"Marvelous," Axe said again, nodding to Francois with a cheerful wink, ignoring the unconscious green clad Assassin who had slumped over the table next to him, "Cheers again for letting us use ya tavern. We owe you one."

"Yes, thank you," Arno added looking up from Green Coat's sudden faint and saw a very odd look on Francois's face. He was looking directly at an unconscious Green Coat before casting his blue gaze back at Axe with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"You're welcome."

~

Green Coat snorted and woke himself up. He blinked quickly with a wince at a throb from his bandaged forehead before he knew where he was. After a moment of disorientation, embarrassed he had passed out from the pain, he sat at the table and began taking stock of his condition. Arno had disappeared and Axe was nearby, sitting on his own chair by the fire. Green Coat gathered up what little strength he had left in his sore limbs and moved closer to the fire to join him, feeling his green clothes were just that bit more crispy dry than before. He looked up at the wooden beamed ceiling. Ice Cream was taking his time in the wash room wasn't he?

The young man sat down and leaned back in his chair as he began to ever so slowly dry off the rest of his clothes he was wearing by the warm fire, careful to keep his boots and lower trousers away from the open flames, his skull gently throbbing from the fight. His head had been bandaged up once again, but vision had returned in his left eye, a be it slightly blurry. Currently though he had his eyes closed, hands resting on his stomach, content to listen to the pops and crackles of the fire as he let himself be drawn down into thought. The fight he had with Ice Cream was replaying over and over again in his memory. Of wrestling with him and then subsequently taking him against the rock. He didn't know if that had been, quite frankly, the right thing to do. Ice Cream had ordered him to do it, but now in the coolness of a still mind, he wasn't so sure.

Green Coat let out a sigh.

He wanted to hold him. To hold Ice Cream in his arms and dare the world to upset their bond. His chest constricted, his face warming as he remembered how vulnerable his lover could be. How, really, he was himself. To be honest, he didn't care that Ice Cream had caused his stitches to split. He didn't care that he was once soaking and cold from having sex in a river. No, there were only two things that were occupying his mind. The deep affection he held for Ice Cream and extreme uneasiness. For which butterflies in his stomach didn't have anything to do with.

It was a few minutes later that he heard Axe helping Francois in shutting up for the night, bidding the last alcohol consumed punter goodnight (including throwing one man out who didn't want the party to end) bolting the main door and sliding the wooden shutters close. The Assassin and teen brought candles over to the large table that Green Coat was sitting at near the fire.

There was a hurried creaking of floorboards and a tired looking Peter came scurrying down the stairs with Ice Cream's uniform in his arms.

"Careful," Green Coat tried to call, surprised to see something that indicated his lover but without him in it, "That coat is priceless."

"Oui, Monsieur, I've already washed it and I'm going to dry it over the coals in the kitchen," Peter called as he jogged towards the aforementioned room, "Should be dry in a few hours. Place your uniform on the side when ready, Monsieur, and I'll clean the mud off it."

"Thanks," the sullen Assassin offered. The boy wouldn't be able to clean his uniform tonight but he oddly didn't care that much.

" 'ere, get something down ya gullet," Axe's voice said as a bowl of hot and yellow vegetable soup was placed under his nose. Green Coat's stomach growled. Gods, how hungry he actually was! Taking up a large spoon that Axe offered, the twenty two year old clumsily tucked in, one eye still closed. He was about half way through shoving the soup laidened wooden spoon into his mouth when he looked over with his good eye at a nearby open newspaper on the side of the table.

The fight wouldn't stop repeating in his head.

Green Coat swallowed the yellow soup.

Hmm, perhaps if he distracted himself more it would kill time until Ice Cream vacated the wash room. Then he could distract himself with washing, belly already full. With a thumb and finger, Green Coat pinched the crinkly paper and dragged it across the table as he swallowed another mouth full of bland soup.

_**4th September 1792** _

_**MARIE ANTOINETTE'S LESBIAN LOVER DISPATCHED** _

_...she received a sabre blow to the head which took off her hat. Her long hair fell onto her shoulders as she was struck again-_

Suddenly the newspaper was yanked out of his hand and folded up into Axe's large ones. Green was about to say he was reading until the man spoke.

"Trust me, you don't want to read that."

"...are we not _Assassins_?” Green Coat said curtly, one eye still shut, looking up from his bowl with a scowl, “Do we not deal with death on a daily basis?"

"Oui, but for the sake of being reminded why there are scars on your back, don't read it."

Green Coat tasted bile in his throat.

"...who was she?"

"Princess de Lamballe. Marie Antoinette's favourite," Axe said, sitting with a hearty thump onto the opposite chair, "She was put on trial for being an assumed traitor and told to swear an oath to the Revolution, which she did. But then refused to denounce the King and Queen. She was then "legally" thrown to the mob to do with as they pleased..."

Green Coat felt his back burning with the disturbing memories of the stables. He placed his spoon with a clink back onto his porcelain bowl. A moment passed before he shoved the food away harshly.

Axe raised a tired brown eyebrow.

"You full up?"

"The bastard was in the building with us. In the same **_room_** -" Green Coat ground out, feeling like his back was crawling with thousands of insects, itching to get under his skin.

"Aye, he was... and this," Axe said throwing the newspaper onto the table, jabbing a finger at the disturbing title, "This is the underside to the Revolution that is evil, pure and simple. If what I'm thinkin's true, he and the Templars are causing this shite," Axe said, "And their aiming it straight at us," he said slamming a finger onto the inked newspaper, onto the passage about carnage, "That is what's goin' to 'appen to our Brotherhood if we don't start plannin' now."

"Assassins aren't going to turn on themselves," Green Coat said, trying to understand what Axe was saying, "Hell would sooner freeze over."

"You're right. The Templars will starve us out first, _then_ the Brotherhood will turn on itself."

The Lock Smith fixed the larger Assassin with a look.

"The Brotherhood isn't going to starve-"

"What makes you think we're immune from this, hmm?" Axe said throwing a hand out to a shut window, indicating the towns folk behind it, "20,000 people in this city are starving, Green. The only reason we haven't been so far is that we've had Lady Luck on our side giving us the Royal Guest House. And trust me when I say our food is running low."

Axe threw a finger to the abandoned bowl of soup.

"So eat that."

"...I think you talk rot," Green Coat ventured, ignoring the action, "I've not heard of shortages-"

"Why do you think I've got these under me eyes?" Axe said pointing to large dark circles under each brown eye.

Green Coat blinked. He was right, there were large dark circles under the man's eyes.

Axe laughed under his breath at Green Coat's stare and wiped his nose. He sat forwards and beckoned Green Coat to follow suit. The young man did, crouching over on his seat.

"A while ago, a group of men in the make-shift village in the gardens wanted to storm our building," Axe said in a low voice, "They were saying; how come we got all this nice stuff when they are living in tents?"

"Understandable."

"But we managed to talk them down. But in doing so we found out they don't have that much food left, either. Mrs Breton, bless her, was giving some of our food to the tent village. But she ain't there anymore."

"You think they'll storm our HQ if there is no food left in the village?"

"Not _if,_ lad. _When._ We need to get the second eye tomorrow, secure our food source at HQ and get rid of the Templar in our midst as soon as possible."

"How do you know the Templars, themselves, aren't starving? You said the Assassins are not immune. That means they are not either."

"If the Templars have the other part of the Piece of Eden, the piece that connects into the kitty, and either work out how to fully stop the rains, lose control of it or get their hands on our lion," Axe said, "Then it don't matter who's starvin'. Coz' we're all be fucked."

The two men were silent.

Green Coat looked back down at the soup bowl and dragged it back towards himself, resuming his dinner. When finished, the bowl was whisked away from him by Peter who was still running around the tavern like a blue arsed fly. Francois was no where in sight. Green Coat watched as Axe got up out of his seat and poked the dying embers with a dry log from the side.

"Now, onto other matters..."

"Which is?" Green Coat yawned with fatigue, lightly touching the bandage at his head with his finger tips. He heard a creak of a floorboard and looked upwards. Christ, Ice Cream was _still_ in the wash room? Maybe he should go and check on him-

"What really happened back there?" Axe asked, taking a box of matches out of a brown waist coat pocket and putting it onto the circular table between them.

Green Coat stared at the match box with tired half lidded eyes, not really seeing it. He sighed knowing what Axe meant. He really didn't want to get into a conversation about Ice Cream's temper.

"...nothing..."

Axe sniffed as he struck a match and leaned down to relight the dying fire in the fireplace.

There was more silence and Green Coat mentally thanked Axe for not pushing the matter any further.

The Lock Smith, feeling warmth growing from the new fire, eyes now closed from sleep, suddenly heard the man removing what sounded like clothing. He opened up his eyes, curiously, to see Axe sitting there with his muscular chest exposed. Green Coat was about to ask why he had suddenly decided to strip semi naked, for there were no women present, until he saw a very ugly and large scar across the man's left pectoral ab. The scar was old but it blazed a trail of missing chest hair, the mark stopping before it hit a dark nipple. Christ, he forgot how much Axe was built like a brick shithouse.

"You're not the first he's surprised," Axe said with a dark look.

Green Coat stared, trying to process.

"...Ice...did that?"

"Aye, only once when he were..." Axe stopped, looking highly uncomfortable,  "...when he were back on me farm. Years ago it happened, mind. He don't remember most of it."

Green Coat was going to ask why the hell Axe was talking about such a subject when curiosity got the better of him. The want to fill in more of his lover's history consuming him.

"What happened?"

"I erm..." Axe said, looking like he was choosing his words extremely carefully, tapping a finger on the top of his axe's handle that was now lying next to him upside down, resting against a chair leg. "...I pushed him too far one day. You know how I can get, lad. I don't know me own strength."

Green Coat nodded thoughtfully to himself at the memory of Axe yelling at his twelve year old self in the pouring rain. When it came to training Novices, Axe was ruthless to say the least.

"What did you do to him?"

Axe looked away into the fire with a uncomfortable cough, scratching his muscular chest.

"...I got him into a situation."

Green Coat tilted his head.

"It's a long story, son, but I...I pushed and pushed and...got that token for me troubles. You know Ice, he ain't the violent type by any stretch and once he realized what he did, there was never a day then onward he wasn't apologizing for it...but..."

"...but?"

Axe chewed the side of his mouth.

"I value him, Green. Otherwise I wouldn't have recommend him to become an Assassin."

Green Coat waited.

"...yet seeing your face covered in blood like that, lad..."

Green Coat could feel his skin crawling with something akin to terror.

"Axe, what are you trying to tell me?"

"....be careful around him now. I ain't saying it to break you two up or cause a fuss of worry. Since being with you, I can tell he's happy. But Ice Cream was...in a certain... _way..._ when he went for me."

"What way?" Green Coat pressed, "Why? Was he ill? You mean he's in the same way now?"

Axe looked like he wanted to say but couldn't so instead he looked around the vacant tavern then at the confused younger, staring the Assassin dead in the eye.

"Do you love him, lad?"

Green Coat blinked, genuinely taken aback. He stared. What kind of question what that?

"Do...do I love him?"

"Aye."

"...of course," Green Coat said instantly, not believing they were having this conversation or that he would have to prove his feelings to Axe, "With every part of my being."

Axe nodded and smiled warmly.

"Then all will turn out for the best," his mentor said patting him on the knee, "Now..."

Green Coat stared confused into silence as his leader shifted to the side and brought out a very familiar leather tube from a back pocket. He was about to jump back when Axe caught his eye.

"...fancy having a Latin chit-chat with our friend 'ere?"

~

Green Coat scrubbed the dried dirt from off his neck and shoulders in the dim candle light of the attic room with a wet course cloth as Ice Cream, behind him, took stock of their things. Two small travel bags laid out on the bed, both flaccid, had a couple of ripped holes in them that Ice Cream was now dutifully sewing up. Ice Cream had earlier called down to the two Assassins in the tavern that the wash room was now free. Both Axe and Green Coat had headed towards the room, but upon reaching it, Axe had shoved the younger towards Ice Cream's attic bedroom, handing him an empty wash bucket and clean towel saying "Upon my orders if the boy is to ask. Thank me later. And don't get that forehead of yours wet."

Green Coat had nodded and joined his lover, grateful none but Axe had seen him enter Ice Cream's room. He was disturbed. He couldn't work out what Axe was trying to say to him earlier. Ice Cream was in a certain situation back then? In a certain way? What way? What the hell was that meant to mean? But it was illuminating. Ice Cream indeed had a violent temper that was worse than Axe's. He had attacked the huge man in the past when the larger had pushed him- Green Coat subconsciously flinched when Ice Cream walked passed him over to the window, slightly opening it a crack to let in some fresh night time air. He chastised himself mentally. What had gotten into him? Since when was he now nervous of Ice Cream? Of the man he loved?

"You don't mind having the window open for a bit, do you?" Ice Cream said in a low voice, putting the sewing to one side.

Green Coat shook his head.

"Nah, go for it."

Ice Cream, only wearing a very long and over sized white shift that he found in the wardrobe, smiled at him, his copper hair loose and falling over his shoulders in waves that the braid he always wore had crimped his hair into.

Green Coat smiled back, feeling lust blooming at the image but it was stopped as he tried to reason with and reassure himself.

Part of him now wasn't nervous of Ice Cream.

It was down right terrified.

Green Coat had never seen his partner consumed with so much rage before they fought at the river side. Green Coat knew all Assassins had baggage, even himself did. But by being his lover, Green Coat thought he confidently knew who Ice Cream was. Never in a million years would he have thought his partner would attack him.

But he had.

The Assassin had outright gone for him. He knew Ice Cream wasn't going to smother him in his sleep, but what happened if he said something that set the ginger man off? Before he had shot his mouth off, pressing the Lock Picker on why he looked so much like Francois. Why was it any of his business anyway? Suddenly, Green Coat didn't know what to do or say anymore. A nervousness tingled in his system that felt a lot like fright and he did not like it one bit. The memory of Ice Cream punishing him after fighting with Arno by power fucking him back at Mirabeau's tavern...and the look he saw upon the man's face during the storming of the Bastille, staring down the Captain's dare of lighting open kegs of gun powder...Perhaps Ice Cream had always been this way. Just like a powder keg, ready to go off at any moment.

Green Coat blinked sadly, pushing the cloth in his hands back into the bucket of water.

His twenty two years had rendered him too immature and naive to see the signs.

Green Coat dipped the cloth back into the bowl and cleaned his face with both hands, scrubbing the cloth across his features when he heard the door open and close. He froze before yanking the cloth down to see his lover walking into the room and shutting the door. What the...Ice Cream had gone and come back in?!

"I think something's wrong with Francois," Ice Cream said, standing in front of him, the fire light casting shadows upon his slender yet strong legs.

"....well," Green Coat said for lack of a better response. "You did shout at him."

"True. I need to apologize, I didn't mean too. But...he gave me the oddest look when I handed him your uniform. Probably doesn't help he's heard the rumors, about us, doing the rounds."

Green Coat paused confused, frowned, then looked over to where he had dumped his coat in a heap off to the side. It was gone. Oh, so that's why he left the room.

"You're having Francois clean my coat?"

"Hmm? No, Peter is. Francois was the first person I ran into..."

"Wait," Green Coat frowned, "...what rumor about us?"

"That we fuck each other."

"Oh, that old one?"

"Although depending on who you ask, either I bugger you up the arse or you bugger me. It changes from week to week, you see."

Green Coat stared as Ice Cream sat cross legged on the wooden floor in front of him.

"Nothing new from the gossip mongers," the taller continued, "I've even heard some hilarious rumors about Axe buggering Arno up the arse, so I wouldn't worry about their legality."

Green Coat made a face.

"That...is not a mental image I welcome."

"Then I wouldn't worry," Ice Cream laughed quietly. "Rumors are just that. Rumors. Until we get caught."

"Then let's try not too."

"But perhaps we have been. Or so Francois mentioned back at the HQ. An Assassin caught us kissing. "

Green Coat paused looking into the fire before scowling and gazing back at his partner.

"...does the rumor say where this act happened?"

"No, but we've never kissed in public at the HQ. Which tells me the rumor starter already knew that we were a couple. Apart from our immediate circle of Arno, Axe, Frederic, Camille and Alexina... no one else knows."

"Henri does," Green Coat said, waiting for the clout to hit him in the face.

"But why would he start a rumor? Where could he have seen us?"

Green Coat nodded.

"Which leaves only one other person who knew about us."

"Oh?"

"Oui, Feather Frank...Blue Hat."

A harsh silence fell upon the couple.

Green Coat looked back down at the red and brown colored water, seeing his naked body cleaner than it had been. It was true. When they were first courting, only Axe knew of the feelings both Assassins held for one another. The other one being the monster Blue Hat that had attacked them later on.

"Do you want to shave?" Ice Cream asked, standing and returning with a small hand held mirror.

"You're lucky not to have this problem," Green Coat said, turning his long stubble of a chin from side to side in the small mirror, trying to lighten the tone of the room.

"Would you prefer my menstrual cycle instead? I'm in the mood to trade," Ice Cream whispered with a chuckle and a raised eyebrow. "Come, I'll shave you. Better to have two eyes than one in this matter."

Green Coat paused, a hot knot of fright bubbled in his stomach then faded. He nodded his head as Ice Cream collected their shaving equipment, a brush and a blade. Ice Cream got down and moved closer to him on both knees. He touched him on the knee playfully as he took up position-

Green Coat couldn't stop the flinch.

Ice Cream paused.

"Are you alright? You seem jumpy...?"

Time to be honest, Green Coat concluded. He was too tired for anything else.

"I don't fancy another beating," Green Coat half joked, quickly flicking his eyes away and back with a small laugh.

Ice Cream took his hand off the knee, looking deep into his eyes.

"...I scared you, didn't I?"

"...could say that," the younger coughed, not making eye contact with the man kneeling below his sitting form, suddenly interested in the design of the floorboard by his feet.

Ice Cream put the blade down and took both hands of his lover in his own, placing them on his naked knees and rubbing them.

Green Coat felt that reassuring feeling of safety oddly settle in his stomach at the softness of Ice Cream's hands on his, despite the initial hint of fright.

"Speak to me, Vincent," Ice Cream whispered, rubbing a hand. "Please..."

Green Coat couldn't meet his partner's eye.

"...Axe asked what had happened down by the river. He gave me a warning. Said that you've gone for him in the past...he showed me a scar on his chest... Is it true?"

Ice Cream's eyes went wide before he closed them, letting out a sad breath through his nostrils.

"...it's true."

"Why did you go for him?"

Ice Cream was now oddly sporting that same look Axe had. Of wanting to say the reason but not being able too.

"I..." Ice Cream began, "...we were working in his wheat field at the time. It was the height of summer and I was sick but didn't listen to him telling me to rest. One thing lead to another and..."

Green Coat made eye contact.

"You attacked him?"

Ice Cream returned the eye contact.

"I wasn't the same person back then as I am now, Vincent. I was a very troubled and angry individual called Iris. I had only just given birth to a child I loved but didn't know how to raise... I never stopped missing him."

Green Coat nodded at the mention of Francois until he realized with a start Ice Cream could been meaning Henri.

"But I promise, until the day I die, Vincent," Ice Cream said leaning forwards and rubbing Green Coat's hands, "...that I will never, ever, harm you."

A faint smile appeared on the Lock Smith's face.

"...my eye might say different."

Ice Cream breathed in a vulnerable breath and pressed his lips to Green Coat's hands, head bowed in the twenty two year old's lap, a silent show of shame.

Green Coat threaded his hands slowly through the resting ginger locks, marveling at how soft they were.

"I've never seen you that angry," he said, gently splitting some hair strands with one hand, "Didn't think you could posses such rage. Axe had warned me that you had a hidden temper but... I thought he was fucking joking-"

Ice Cream tilted his head to look up gazing deep into pewter colored eyes.

"What can I do to make you trust me again?"

"Be honest with me," Green Coat smiled warmly, seeing love in those blue eyes. "As I am with you."

"...I promise," Ice Cream smiled warmly back and nodding his head, rubbing the hands again, "I see questions in your eyes...ask."

"Anything?"

"Anything."

Green Coat choose his first question.

"Can you help me shave?" he smirked.

Ice Cream smiled widely with a nod, chin still resting in Green Coat's lap.

"Certainly."

Ice Cream stood up slowly and prepared the shaving equipment as Green Coat remained sitting, chest bare, on the small wooden stool.

"So...you gave birth to Francs-" Green Coat said then quickly lowered his voice in case the walls had ears, "...to him?"

"Oui and it nearly killed me," Ice said, returning to kneeling in front of Green Coat, as he reached behind and took up the brush. He rubbed the foam into the man's face, picked up their shaving blade and shaved some foam.

"What happened?" Green Coat asked as the man took the razor away and washed it in a nearby bowl.

"He got stuck."

"Stuck?"

"Hmm...in my pelvis...not enough room for a newborn's head to pass. I was bleeding heavily and..." Ice Cream paused tilting his head to the side, "I don't remember most of it...just..."

"...just?"

"...that's how I met Frederic," Ice continued as he shaved more foam off of his partner's cheek, "He arrived in the alley way, found me and saved our lives. I met Axe that day, too."

"Axe?"

Ice Cream nodded, shaving more.

"Why was Axe there?" Green Coat said when Ice took the blade away to wash.

"Not sure, I always assumed they were traveling together at the time but Frederic was the one who found me. Axe..."

"Axe...?"

"...Frederic secured the area while Axe helped me give birth."

Green Coat's eyes flew open.

"...his wife had had a difficult pregnancy and labor from what I was told and...well, let's just say he knew what to do when things go wrong. He saved mine and Francois's life."

Green Coat fell into deep though as Ice Cream continued to shave his other cheek. When the blade was taken away he spoke.

"...so that's why he's so protective over you..."

Ice Cream nodded, washing the foam and facial hair off of the implement, "One of the reasons."

Green Coat raised an eyebrow.

"...One of the reasons?"

Ice Cream coughed, before returning to shaving.

"I lived with him and his wife for many years. Helped to bring up their children. I was considered part of the family. So, it's not a stretch to see why he tried to warn you off me at first. He views me as kin, as I do him."

A very intimate question involving Axe came to him which was too ludicrous to continue with so Green Coat choose the next question that wanted to be asked. He knew the answer but something was telling him to ask again.

"...could you conceive again?"

Ice Cream paused, seeming to consider something before shaking his ginger head, folding the blade back into its sheath and putting it back into a small linen pouch.

"....As much as I look at you and wish it so-"

Green Coat grabbed Ice's wrist.

"I would give anything."

Ice Cream paused looking into deep eyes.

Green Coat could see the cogs in the man's mind working.

"...I'm not sure everything is enough," the lithe Assassin said softly with a sad smile.

Green Coat fell silent as Ice Cream continued to clean the grooming equipment.

"So what was that Latin I heard down stairs?"

"...Axe and I tried talking to the statue," Green Coat said, watching as Ice Cream's back moved across the room to the bed, starting to repack their traveling bags.

"And?"

"Pff, like trying to get blood out of a stone. Literally. Axe said I was the better Latin speaker but..."

"You hate Latin," Ice Cream smirked, buckling the bag and looking over his shoulder, " Why? Because it defeats you?"

"The Fountain of Salmacis didn't defeat me," Green Coat said without thinking, a smirk of his own, "I read that thing several times trying to decipher...it..."

His face fell.

Ice Cream was silent, lowering his head and turning back to shutting the bag.

"You...you didn't think I'd read it, did you?" Green Coat said with a sad smile.

"As we're being honest," Ice Cream said, standing by the edge of the bed, now repacking Green Coat's traveling bag, "I was so frightened, I threw up after telling you to go to the library."

The Lock Smith blinked from his position sitting by the fire.

"Why were you frightened?"

"Well," Ice Cream barked with a laugh, "What proof did I have that you would accept my body?"

Green Coat stared. Ice Cream still had his back to him.

"I was scared you'd realize you didn't want me. It's a funny thing the human mind. You think you're alright with something until presented with the harsh truth, then it becomes an issue until you realize you were never alright with it in the beginning."

Green Coat continued to stare as Ice Cream returned to his position kneeling at his feet.

"Hold still," the Lock Picker said as he carefully rubbed shaving oil into his lover's chin and cheeks. When finished he wiped his hands on his sides and leaned back, admiring.

"There we are," Ice Cream said checking over his handy work, with his hands to Green Coat's jaw. He stroked his thumbs down the now soft cheeks with a "Smooth as a baby's bum-"

Green Coat launched forwards and captured the Assassin's lips with his own. The kiss deepened before strength from somewhere deep within took over as Green Coat pushed the other back onto the floor. Ice Cream grunted as his back hit the wooden floors and there was a loud creak. The sound snapped Ice Cream to his senses. He mentally checked which room it was below them and found it was Arno's.

"I will never, ever, stop wanting you," Green Coat breathed in between the kisses.

"And I you," Ice Cream replied, between the kisses also, "But you want to do this now?" he whispered, nodding his head to the door and then back at the Lock Smith, “With your eye still like that?”

"What are you on about," Green Coat breathed with one eye and a lustful smirk. "I don't need two eyes to take you."

Ice Cream gasped as a hand was slid under the over sized shift and to the back of his naked ass, as fingers began probing. He winced sharply, gripping Green Coat's upper arms.

"Wait, not the back," Ice Cream breathed, eyes screwed up tightly, "I'm still sore."

"You want me to take you the other way?"

"Please."

Green Coat moved his hand, pulled the shift up slightly to gain access and gently massaged his partner's feminine opening.

Ice Cream whimpered at the sensations.

"Gods, you're soaking-"

"Hnn, shut up and quickly fuck me before someone hears," Ice Cream hissed before grabbing his partner's face and crushing their lips together. Green Coat fumbled with his loose trousers before they slid off his proud manhood and it found it's target.

Ice Cream wrapped his arms around his lover's neck as they coupled. Both kept their noises to a minimum, hating every creak of a floor board as their bodies connected as one. He was so far into pleasure that Ice Cream didn't noticed the smell at first. Until his right elbow began to grow increasing hot. He opened his eyes to find his shirt on fire.

"Ah, hnn, oh-OH SHIT-!"

"Wha-? Ah!"

Green Coat felt his lovers hips jerk to the side as Ice Cream began to smack his elbow frantically, snuffing the fire out, before Green Coat understood what was happening. He saw what had caused it, grabbed a stool from the side of the fire and smacked the smoking log back into the naked grating with a grunt.

The two Assassins paused, breathing heavily from the sudden change in the atmosphere. Waiting to see if they had accidentally begun to burn down Francois' tavern.

"Holy shit, I never knew how much I miss fire gratings..." Ice Cream breathed looking at the smoldering black and burnt hole in the borrowed shift, before letting his head fall back onto the wooden floorboards, feeling his partner's manhood still within. "Alright," Ice Cream swallowed with a whisper, panic now over that they were not about to burn down Francois lively hood, "You may continue-"

"I've finished."

Ice Cream paused before looking up with a frown and saw Green Coat looking down at him with a guilty smirk.

Ice Cream scoffed and looked away.

"You did say "quickly"...," Green Coat whispered as he lent down and pressed his lips to a vanilla scented neck.

 Ice Cream chuffed a laugh and dropped his head back onto the wooden floor as the other brushed his lips over an erect nipple. The Lock Picker hummed in pleasure. He could feel his thighs were sweaty but wasn't sure if the amount of liquid was sweat alone. Ice Cream continued to close his eyes and felt himself falling down into slumber, aided by the ministrations before Green Coat realized just how tired his partner was.

"Here," Green Coat said, pulling his breaches back up and scooping the other up in his arms before Ice Cream fell asleep.

"Hmm, well this is nice," Ice Cream whispered as he was carried, "I must get you to do this more often."

Green Coat laughed quietly before he placed his partner onto the top of the bed and they crawled into the sheets and snuggled up together.

"...wait, did you lock the door?"

"Hmm?"

"The door," Ice Cream repeated.

"...oh shit no-"

Green Coat quickly untangled his limbs and dashed over to the door, bolting it shut. Then shoving a chair under the handle for good measure.

"A chair? That's a new one," Ice Cream said with a raised eyebrow.

"We're not at the HQ anymore."

"True," Ice Cream said then lifted up the sheets, "Come here, Assassin, I'm cold."

"Yes Master," Green Coat smiled and then crawled back in the sheets, kicking off his trousers and snuggling up together once more.

The dark haired Assassin nuzzled his head into the peach colored shoulder of his lover, yawned, then added, "Wait, I've forgotten something..."

"Hmm?" the ginger haired Assassin whispered, eyes already closed.

"You didn't come."

"Oh, don't worry about it," Ice Cream said before Green Coat slipped under the sheets. "Consider it an IOU...Vincent, what are you doing?" he whispered with a chuckle, suppressing a roll of eyes as his lover began to kiss his chest and stomach. Ice Cream chuckled as the man continued and was about to let out a sigh of pleasure when there was a knock on the door.

"Monsieur Ice Cream, are you in there?"

Both men froze.

"Oui, Francois?"

"Can I come in?"

"Oh, erm, not right now!" Ice Cream's voice called, a slight tremor of shock riding under his voice, "I'm-"

" _Having a bath_ ", Green Coat mouthed, head poking out from under the brown duvet at Ice Cream's chest .

"Having...a...a bath!"

There was an audible pause from behind the door.

"...Another one?"

"Yes! I was, er... sick just now. Do you need something?"

"I need to replace the grating in the fire, but I'll come back later-"

"Alright," Ice Cream called, "...the fire is nearly dead, so give it about a couple of minutes-"

Green Coat gave him an offended look.

"Actually, better make that a couple of hours."

"If you're sure," Francois's muffled voice came again from the shut wooden door to their room. "...see you later. Bonne nuit."

"Bonne nuit!"

The two Assassins waited with baited breath until they heard Francois shut the door to the stairs on the floor below and Ice Cream's body collapsed back on to the bed as Green Coat came out of hiding.

"Bloody hell that was close-"

"Too close," Ice Cream said looking down at Green Coat. He paused. The Assassin was resting the side of his face on his lower abdomen. Something warm settled inside his chest at the image, feeling the warmth of his lover's skin pressed against his belly. Which was, worryingly, still hard. Shit, the seed! The one Axe gave him. He had to pee on it soon. Best to leave it in a bowl of rocks or coals to see if it sprouts. The ginger haired man began to locate the bed pan, starting to plan where best to hide the experiment in the room while they were out on the mission. The test would take three days. Damn it, where the hell did he put that seed-

"Huh, you're quite noisy in there."

Ice Cream blinked before raising a sarcastic eyebrow.

"Trapped wind."

Green Coat jerked his head back from the stomach making a face.

"Lovely."

"One must let the imps out some time," Ice Cream chuckled as Green Coat drew himself up and crawled into position.

The Lock Smith felt the Lock Picker turn his back on him and they cuddled in their familiar spoon. Green Coat drifted his fingers down the side of Ice Cream's leg and under a powerful yet soft thigh. The Lock Picker spread his legs as Green Coat began kissing a supple side of a neck, hearing Ice Cream moan in want.

Suddenly Ice Cream gasped and bit the side of the pillow. Green Coat watched, entranced, as he brought Ice Cream to orgasm with a few skillful presses of his fingers.

"You pillock," Ice Cream breathed when the orgasm subsided, body faintly shaking from the pleasure. He turned an annoyed and tired head over a shoulder, "I said an IOU-"

"Hush," Green Coat whispered, kissing unprotected lips, "We need to be up in a few hours and Axe has given us a cover story...or rather a cover Order...so sleep..."

"Yes Master," Ice Cream breathed, nipping at Green Coat's lips playfully.

Green Coat chuckled and kissed the top of his partner's head, vanilla wrapping around him like a warm blanket. He rested his head in the crock of Ice Cream's neck, a hand on Ice Cream's stomach as the man in his arms snuggled down into the sheets. It wasn't long before he felt the gentle rising and falling of his partner's chest, deep in slumber, hearing rain drops start to pitter-patter on the dirty glass window near them. He sighed, mentally thanking Axe for the bandage around his head and closed his eyes.

But Green Coat could not sleep.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> British English:  
> built like a brick shithouse = Having a muscular body, particularly with well developed muscles of the chest, arms and abdominals. - Wiktionary
> 
> Author's Note:  
> Wings - Pardon the late update, this was due to traveling with work. I've also decided to add an (E) onto the Chapter Titles that contain explicit sexual content to better identify where they are while browsing the Chapter Index.
> 
> History Note:  
> Princess de Lamballe met a very, very, nasty end, hence why Axe advises Green not to read the details reported in the newspaper. She was ordered before a trial to denounce the monarchy. She supported the Republic what the Revolution stood for...but refused to betray her best friend, Marie Antoinette, by condemning her and the monarchy. The trial found her guilty of anti revolutionary behavior and Princess de Lamballe was literally thrown to the mob.
> 
> Copper, among other materials, was heavily sort after during this period. With not enough ammunition to tackle one invading country, let alone three, France began to put pressure on the public for strategic resources. (Lyon was already having a silk crisis of its own as aristocrats moved out of the city in the wake of the Revolution. This lead to massive unemployment, riots and food shortages.) As time progressed, word filtered through to Paris that Lyon was not as enthusiastic about the Revolution as most cities were. Paris demanded retribution. It was only a matter of time until the situation in Lyon deteriorated into what would be known as The Siege of Lyon.  
> ~  
> 


	36. The Flight of Copper Trinkets: Part Two

~

Two hours passed.

Francois knocked on the old door and offered the Assassin inside a plate of steaming pre-mission breakfast that consisted of weak herb and potato soup, water and a small portion of bread with dried fish. The sounds of birds commencing their dawn chorus echoed in the darkness outside the closed windows as rain continued to softly fall upon the wooden shutters. After speaking to Axe and getting no response from behind Arno's door, Francois walked over to Green Coat's room and knocked.

No answer.

Frowning slightly, the teen shifted the wooden pallet from one hand and raised his other, stronger, free hand. He rapped quickly on the thick wooden door with the back of a finger, mindful of the early hour.

"Monsieur Green Coat?"

No answer.

Francois's blue eyes narrowed. He shoved a palm to his belt and, from a large metal loop of dull colored keys, carefully selected the double spare key he kept of each room.

"Excuse my intrusion," he called softly and unlocked the door with his master key, pushing it open.

The room that greeted him was cold and dark.

Francois blinked with a frown. He quickly scanned the room for a figure but even in the light from the warmly lit corridor he couldn't see anyone inside. He slowly placed the food onto the floor, eyes not leaving the room and walked in, lighting a candle he found on the side. He held up the candle to the room and saw the man's single bed was still neatly laid out, the sheets completely untouched. The nineteen year old frowned deeper. The fire in the fireplace hadn't even been lit. It was as if the Assassin hadn't even set foot inside his room yet.

Francois's eyes suddenly widened and he breathed in sharply.

Ice Cream's room.

He was in there.

They were there.

_Together._

Francois, feeling righteous anger welling up inside his chest, snorted fury out of his mouth, exited the room and nearly slammed the door shut. Two hours the ginger had said. Two bloody hours for them to do what not under HIS roof! Forgetting to pick up the food platter on the floor, he climbed up the steps to the attic room, snuffing the candle he was carrying out with a shake of a fist and went to knock harshly upon the designated door. He marched up to it, not caring his shoes were making loud creaking noises. He reached the door and went to pound his fist against it. But he stopped. The skin at his knuckles barely pressing against the air near the wooden surface. He held his breath and slowly moved his body to place an ear to the door. He waited, holding in a breath. Waited for any sign or sound of the two Assassins committing sins. If he was going to confront Ice Cream and Green Coat, he would have to catch them in the act.

"Hmm~ hmm~hm~hm~hm~."

He pressed more of his ear to the door and could hear Ice Cream humming a tune before Francois heard the man singing fully, "Ah~ ça ira, ça ira, ça ira," . He waited and heard next a creak of what sounded like the bed and a tap of a bowl being placed on the side cabinet, maybe.

Francois pursed his lips.

He breathed out slowly and in, holding his breath once more, focusing his attention on sound alone. Ice Cream managed to get through two impressive verses of "ça ira, ça ira, ça ira" before the young tavern owner gave in. He drew himself up to his full height and knocked on the door firmly.

"ça ira, ça ira...oh, come in!"

Francois opened up the door ever so slowly, finding it surprisingly not locked. He pushed the door open to see Ice Cream sitting on the bed of the attic room with his head tilted to one side, his long hair flowing down over a shoulder as it was being braided. He was wearing his full off-tan Assassin attire, minus the red sash which was hanging off the side of a bed post and his tall leather boots that were propped up against the bedside table.

"Good morning, Francois," Ice Cream said with a smile, continuing to plait his hair nonchalantly. "How are you?"

"I'm...alright....," Francois said and paused, before he got a hold of himself and secretly scanned the room. The bed was a single, so it wasn't likely the two Assassins had shared it. But he could be wrong for the bed sheets were tussled and pillows askew. It didn't mean anything though. Ice Cream could just be a messy sleeper.

"Can I help you with something?" Ice Cream said as he reached over to the bed side table, careful not to hit his head on the sloped roof of the attic space and took up a dark hair band in his fingers.

"I've brought breakfast," the teen said rather stiffly, before realizing he had left the food at Green Coat's door, "...I...erm...I just wanted to make sure you were in here before I brought it up..." he said hating how he stuttered, trying to make himself tall but failing "...also Monsieur Axe said you are to all meet downstairs in half and hour."

Ice Cream nodded as he finished tying his braid, sitting back down onto the mattress with a creak of springs.

"One moment," Francois said and quickly dashed out of the room. He ran down stairs, picked up the food tray and returned.

"Oh, thank you Francois, you're very kind." Ice Cream said, when the teen appeared at the door again and put the still piping hot platter on the side.

"...not a problem," Francois said, avoiding eye contact, as he threw his gaze around the room for evidence of the other man.

The ginger caught the act.

"...is everything alright?" Ice Cream asked, sitting back on the bed and putting his boots on, when he saw Francois looking for far too long at the shut bathroom door.

"....may I?"

"Sure," Ice Cream said with an open palm to the closed door.

A thrill of power shot through Francois's veins.

The teenager walked over to the bathroom door, more floor boards creaking, and opened it to find...it was empty. The room was very small, having only converted it from a storage cupboard recently and inside was a single chamber pot with a bowl of water off to the side for hand or intimate cleaning. Francois swallowed, blinking back embarrassment from not finding evidence of Green Coat's presence. He walked in further and saw a few towels off to the side in a ball, wet and a discarded shaving kit. Nothing out of the ordinary. He looked at the floor to see if there were any ink colored hair strands-

"Did you loose something?" Ice Cream said from behind him, leaning sideways against the door frame.

"No, I was just," Francois spun around, trying to lie, seeing an ample excuse off to the side,"...just curious to see if I had changed the towels."

"Oh," Ice Cream said with a blink and a curious look to the amenities mentioned. "Well, they were clean when I used them but now...oh!" He squeezed in passed the teen who jerked back as far as he could from body contact and picked up the shaving equipment with a "Best not forget this" before turning back to Francois.

"Thank you, Francois, it's good to know you're an honest tavern owner."

Francois nodded demurely, avoiding eye contact.

Ice Cream opened his mouth but was cut off.

"Pardon my intrusion," the teen said, picking up the ball of wet towels in his arms and walking back into the main room with purpose, towards the door, "Enjoy your meal."

"Wait, Francois."

The boy stopped on the spot, half way to the door, still not meeting the man's eye.

"I have an apology to make to you."

Francois turned his head a fraction towards his shoulder, still not making eye contact.

"An apology?"

"From before," Ice Cream said, eyes unfocused at the shaving equipment in his hands, "I should never have shouted at you over something so frivolous as a mess tin. I know I don't deserve it from how I've treated you, however... I ask for your forgiveness."

"..."

Francois turned his head back towards the door.

Ice Cream tilted his head at the movement.

"...Francois, is something troubling you-?"

"No," Francois lied, the tone hard, "I accept your apology. Enjoy your meal."

Ice Cream raised a hand up in a goodbye with a small smile as the teen, ignoring the friendly gesture, quickly exited and closed the door.

Ice Cream stood on the spot, tapping the small bottle of after shave in his hands against the side of a palm, waiting for Francois's footsteps to fade. When the coast was clear and dead silent, he walked over to the bed and placed the items onto the bedside cabinet. Before climbing up and standing on the springy mattress. Ice Cream bumped his fist three times against the ceiling. A draft filtered through from his left and a small window to the side opened slowly. A semi naked Green Coat, his brown trousers soaking wet and clinging to his thighs and buttocks from the rain, pulled himself back into the room.

Ice Cream reached over passed him and gently closed the window.

"Fucking hell," the younger breathed with a scowl, dark hair plastered to the sides of his face, shaking his naked arms out in disgust, watching as water droplets fell onto the dusty floor, and ran down his chest, "I thought he'd never leave, it's bloody raining cats and dogs out there! How the hell am I meant to cling onto roof tiles when wet?!"

Ice Cream took in his lover's soaked and grumpy appearance.

"And your bandage is wet."

Green Coat blinked with a moment's confusion before he reached up to touch the white bandaged that was under his hair and around his head.

"Damn it-"

"Want me to wrap a new one?"

"Nah, I'll do it..." Green Coat said with an undercurrent of defeat as he looked around the room, "Wait, where's my coat?"

The lithe Assassin sighed.

"Honestly, this is turning into some sort of farce from a badly written novel," Ice Cream whispered, looking at the door Francois had left from, before back at his lover, "Get changed, and go down stairs. I'll meet you there in a few minutes."

~

Francois left the room and walked downstairs. Damn, he was so sure they had spent the night together. So where on earth was Green Coat? If he wasn't in his room, or in Ice Cream's, then where was he? He couldn't have gone outside, the main doors were locked and the shutters too from the rain storm. He pursed his lips again in frustration. He wanted to confront Ice Cream or Green Coat on the matter. To demand why they were in a sexual relationship. But where was his proof? Yes he had seen them fornicating down by the river but at this point it was his word against theirs. He absentmindedly scratched an itch on his upper arm, caught his finger in something and saw it.

A light blue band around his upper left arm.

Anger and betrayal so great welled up inside his chest. Francois tore at the fabric, trying to get it off his being like it was a venomous snake coiled round his arm ready to strike. Finally ripping it off, he stormed into his own room and over to the roaring fire, pulling his arm back to throw the present into the fire-

He paused.

Suddenly it seemed oddly wrong. So, highly confused and agitated, he marched over to a wooden cabinet, pulled the drawer open and threw the vanilla scented material inside, slamming the dresser shut.

"What are you doing?"

Francois fell into the furniture. He spun around to see Ice Cream, who not only minutes ago was in the attic room, now leaning against another dresser at the far end of his room in the semi darkness.

Francois took a moment to gather his stuttering voice.

"W-w-what the...?!"

Ice Cream pushed off from the dresser before crossing his arms over a buttoned chest, waiting for the Novice to process.

"...h-how did you get in here so fast?!"

"I don't wear this uniform for show and I'd appreciated it if you didn't burn part of it-"

"Get the hell out of my room!" Francois interrupted, finally finding his voice with indignation and shock, pointing a finger to the door.

"You're still angry Francois, why?"

"Didn't you hear me?! I said get out!-"

"No," Ice Cream's hardened voice replied. "Not until you tell me what the matter is."

Francois met that look with an equally hard look of his own and Ice Cream felt himself falter. Perhaps confronting the teen via a surprise appearance might have been a bad idea. But he had to apologize for the obvious stress he was causing to the boy from shouting at him over mess tins. And grabbing him near the throat. But something else was obviously concerning the teen and what was bothering him was bothering Ice Cream.

Ice Cream desperately tried to ignore how looking at Francois was like looking into a mirror.

"You want to know what the matter is?-"

"Oui."

Francois's nostrils flared as he nodded at the Assassin.

"You."

Ice Cream blinked. He definitely should have apologized to Francois earlier.

"Me?"

"You. You're the matter," Francois spat, "Now get out!"

"...why me?" Ice Cream asked carefully with a knotted brow, eyes flicking to the side and back again, knowing. "I know I shouldn't have shouted or lashed out at you, for which I sort your forgiveness-"

"You're a liar," Francois said with heavy breaths of anger, emotions starting to take over.

Ice Cream stared, genuinely surprised. Wait, what? A liar?

"...pardon me?"

"Why did you lie to me?" Francois said, ignoring the look of confusion on the copper haired Assassin's face, "And right to my face!"

"Francois," Ice Cream almost laughed, uncrossing his arms at the direction this conversation was going, "I have not the foggiest idea what you're talking about-"

"You and Monsieur Green Coat!" Francois bellowed, blue eyes on fire, "I saw you both in the river!"

The laughter instantly fell from Ice Cream's face.

"You said you two weren't. Said that it was all rumors made up by jealous Assassins," the boy began to sniff, eyes blinking rapidly, "But it was lies. You're both sodomites."

"Francois," Ice Cream said walking slowly towards the curly haired teen, standing with hands open in front of him like the boy was pointing a fully loaded gun at him. Shit this was _not_ the conversation he thought they were going to have. He had to take back control of the situation, "Francois, wait-"

"I thought I could trust you!" the teen shouted making Ice Cream halt in his tracks, "You disgust me!"

There was silence as Ice Cream paused, his mind working furiously. He then, ever so calmly, tilted his head as one might do to being told a complicated math's puzzle.

"Why?"

Francois paused, unsettled by the change of expression on the man's face.

"W-what?"

"Why is it disgusting?" Ice Cream repeated.

"It's...it's not natural," Francois sniffed in anger, taken aback by the calm question, "That act should be between a man and woman only. To produce children."

"To produce children?"

"Yes."

"Between a man and a woman?"

"Oui."

A very dark smile crossed over Ice Cream's face.

"So what about someone who's both?"

"What?" Francois spat, confused and disturbed by the smile and random question.

"Both," Ice Cream repeated, "Male and female."

"You mean a...a..." Francois stuttered, not really knowing what Ice Cream was trying to get at, "...a... a hermaphrodite?"

"In a manner."

Francois wrinkled his nose up.

"There are no such people."

Ice Cream continued to stare at him with a haunting smirk.

"My, the things I know that could spin your head right round," Ice Cream said calmly, "You'd be surprised what people consider not natural these days. Yet you would agree a humming rock shaped lion can make flames move and talk in Latin-"

"Don't you **dare** condescend me," Francois said with pure venom, suddenly getting his second wind. He pointed a finger at the ginger haired man and marched up to him, all fear gone.

Ice Cream jerked back as the shorter figure moved in on him, feeling his ass hit the edge of the dresser he had been leaning up against, the furniture rattling slightly with the impact. The smile on his face faltering as bright blue eyes seared up into his own. Ice Cream felt a sharp shock to his system. That look in the boy's eyes...he had seen that elsewhere. On a very furious Henri de la Vert.

"When you're the one who I looked up too," Francois continued feeling that the power was shifting in his favor, oblivious to Ice Cream's inner conflict, "...wanted to be like. It's not everyday you make friends with a group of Assassins who save your life and then want to train you. You were my favourite, because you were kind, patient and seemed to be genuinely interested in tutoring me. But it was all fake. Can you even pick locks?!"

Ice Cream felt instantly lost, frozen in that stare.

He knew what he was getting into by sneaking into Francois's room. Yes, he would probably get into an argument with Francois from trespassing and asking what was wrong. The problem, Francois would say, was that he was upset at how he had been treated. Which Ice Cream had prepared himself for. That's how the narrative should have played out. He had heard the boy tearing up the stairs towards the attic and never before had he seen Green Coat shoot out of bed so fast. He had hummed loudly to cover up the sound of the window being opened or any creaks of a hinge as the Lock Smith had made his escape up onto the roof in the pouring rain. Ice Cream had quickly thrown everything that could relate back to Green Coat, like his travel bag, under the sheets and sat down on them, hiding the evidence. Once the teen had left he told his sour looking partner he would only be a moment in properly apologizing again to Francois as something was still bothering him.

And yes, something was still bothering Francois for which he had grossly misunderstood the reason.

 Ice Cream couldn't respond. Memories flashed into his conscious over and over again in time to Francois's tirade of verbal anger. Of that little baby curled up against his chest, needing him. Of gently singing to him when he was crying and laughing at how entertaining a small brown blanket was to an infant. Ice Cream could feel the weight of a scrap of that very same blanket folded up and inside a pocket close to his chest that he always had. How in the depths of his own troubled emotion of Henri's abandonment, the innocent curiosity of a newborn had shown him there was more to life than his own misery.

And here that infant was now.

A man.

Who had no clue to how they were both related and with a face of pure thunder.

"Are you even listening to me?!" Francois shouted and in a fit of immature temper from a non responsive and staring Assassin, he went to shove Ice Cream. Francois managed to connect his palms to the man's tanned coated chest before the push jolted Ice Cream back to the present. His gloved hands shot up like lightening and around Francois's skinny wrists, who gasped with a shock of pain.

"Don't," was all Ice Cream could say with a warning stare.

"Why?" Francois pushed, eager to fight as he tried to pull his wrists free. "Scared to fight me?"

"You're a Novice and I'm an Assassin. Do the maths, child."

Francois hissed again in pain as Ice Cream let go of his wrists with a harsh shove before walking towards the door. He had to end this conversation, to leave the room. Let the teen calm down by removing himself from the situation. Give it fifteen minutes, Ice Cream reckoned. The cool side to his brain congratulated him on his calmness as the silence that enveloped the room was palpable.

The Assassin almost reached the shut door.

"But that's not all, is it?" Francois threw after him, "...you know who my birth mother is."

The words jolted the Assassin back from his self congratulations as Ice Cream stopped dead in his tracks. He turned back around.

"What?-"

"You damn well know!" Francois shouted, "I heard Monsieur Green Coat talking to you! Said that he wasn't probing you about my mother called Iris. What the hell is _that_ meant to mean?! Why is he talking to _you_ about my birth mother?!-"

Fuck.

"Please, Francois-"

"Which means you know something!"

"I don't-"

"Why won't you tell me?!-"

 **"Because you won't believe me!"** Ice Cream suddenly blurted. It only took a second for the Assassin to realize what he had said.

Francois tiled his head, feeling like for once the man was telling the truth.

"What do you mean I won't believe you?"

Ice Cream squeezed his eyes shut.

"Yes, Francois, I know who your mother is," Ice Cream sighed with anger and exhaustion, "But trust me when I say you don't want to know."

"Why?" Francois pressed, feeling like he was getting somewhere "Why? Was she a-a-a prostitute?"

"No-"

"A nun?"

"No-"

"Your relative?"

Ice Cream didn't know why he paused as he opened his eyes.

"...she was, wasn't she?" Francois said, a gleam of hope in his eyes which Ice Cream refused to acknowledge.

"Why do you want to know?" Ice Cream said with a set jaw, "You _have_ a mother. Don't you think it would hurt her feelings to know you are looking for a woman who abandoned you because she was frightened she couldn't look after you?! That every time she set eyes on you it reminded her of the stupid and selfish bastard that left her?!"

Ice Cream didn't realize what the look in Francois's eyes meant.

"Holy shit, you do know who she is."

Ice Cream looked away with a pained expression, shutting his eyes again to try and control himself.

"Please, Francois, I'm _begging_ you to leave this subject alone. You are better off not knowing-"

"People keep saying I look just like you," Francois said, a frown of determination, as he moved slowly towards the unhinged Assassin.

Ice Cream kept his head turned away, eyes shut. Shit, this was not the way this conversation should be going! Leave the room. Leave. Now.

"Like father, like son, I heard Mrs Breton say."

"Stop-" Ice Cream said staring into the back of his eyelids, his limbs not obeying his mind to leave the room, feeling that old and hot anger starting to take hold.

"Even my mother says she recognizes you-"

"For the love of God, Francois, stop talking!-"

"We have the same eyes-"

Ice Cream felt the toxic rot fill his lungs as the boy neared.

"Don't-"

"The same nose-"

Anger began to drown Ice Cream from the inside out, lights of red and yellow flashing behind his eye lids making him start to feel nauseous.

"For heaven's sake, **stop!** -"

"...I did the maths...," Francois said narrowing his eyes, like he was trying to see something behind Ice Cream as he came closer, "...you were nineteen when I was born."

Ice Cream began to breath heavily, feeling his mind being consumed with boiling rage, his limbs shaking faintly.

"Are you..."

Ice Cream swallowed.

This was it.

He was about to loose control again.

Francois paused and swallowed.

"...are you my father?"

The question, like water over a fire, froze the fit of rage that was about to break out in its tracks. Ice Cream's entire perception zeroed in on the boy in front of him. Ice Cream hesitated, body not moving, eyes still clamped tightly shut, head turned away.

Yes, his brain told him to say.

Just say yes.

Make up a story of his birth mother.

Of Iris.

Better for him to know the truth bent at a right angle that the truth straight. The boy wouldn't understand. Wouldn't, _couldn't,_ accept the true origin of his birth.

But Ice Cream couldn't get the words out.

Truth be told he was sick of lying about his past. Sick of pretending he didn't have a child with Henri. Sick of having to continuously blank out the guilt, the shame, the longing. But it was safer if Francois never knew, he had to think of the boy. If he knew, then what? First of all Francois wouldn't believe him. He might even hate him. Then what would happen if he found out what Henri's role was. He would seek him out. And Henri didn't even know. Ice Cream tried to come up with a logical explanation or a well crafted lie on the spot to pacify Francois.

But he couldn't do it.

For all he could see in his mind's eye was that tiny baby he gave away and feeling the crushing guilt that followed him ever since, gone unchecked had turned into rage.

"Are you?!"

"Francois-"

**"Tell me the truth!"**

" **YES AND NO!** " Ice Cream suddenly shouted, blood shot blue eyes now open fully as he snapped his head round at the boy. **  
**

Silence.

Francois eyes never left his own.

"...what?"

"...yes and no," Ice Cream repeated with self confusion, shoulders shrugging slightly, literally lost for what to do next. That old rage that had escaped his guard and had battered Green Coat was waiting on the edges of his psyche to pounce. He had to keep calm or it would set it's sights straight on Francois.

"Oh, I see. Jokes on me," Francois said after a long silence, drops of water finally falling down his face. "And to think I looked up to you. Well, not anymore."

The curly haired youth turned towards the door walking passed the numb Assassin.

"W-where are you going?"

"Why do you care? To send a pigeon to Monsieur Henri," Francois spat, tears still falling, "confirming I will be his pupil-"

"No, you can't!"

"And why not, hmm?" Francois rounded, a hand on the door knob.

"You just can't!" Ice Cream pleaded, "Please Francois, you have to believe me-"

"What did he do to you to make him a threat to me, huh? Why are you so frightened for me?!"

Ice Cream stared, mouth dry.

"...or," Francois said, searching blue eyes, a finger pointing and wagging at the ginger Assassin in thought, "...or it's not about me...but about someone else connect to me that's the problem....?"

Ice Cream bit his lip as his vision began to blur. He was going to be sick.

"You cannot interact with that man," Ice Cream ground out with clenched teeth, desperately trying to calm down as bile bubbled in his throat, "He seems nice and kind but he's anything but. He's dangerous."

Francois stared at him.

"What delusion of power do you think you hold over me, Monsieur?"

The Lock Picker felt like he had been physically winded.

"I'm only looking out for you, Francois, because I care."

Francois looked from one sky blue eye to another.

"You act like you're my mother," Francois said with a dark chuckle, "What's your next lie going to be, hmm? Telling me that you are?"

Ice Cream felt the lock break, the tide of emotions, of secrets all coming for him. He felt it like an unstoppable wave and thought he was prepared. The sight of the teen walking away. The memories that wouldn't stop replaying. He couldn't have stopped himself even if he tried.

_**"YES!"** _

Francois stopped in the doorway and stared over his left shoulder at the man.

Ice Cream felt his soul hurting, the rage inside looking to it's master for permission to unleash hell.

"You're unbelievable," Francois said, tears freely running down his hardened face, "...and cruel."

"Francois please, stop.... ** _please_**!" Ice Cream shouted, still frozen to the spot, not sure if he was pleading with the teen to come back or to help save him from the rage that was about to take him. Why couldn't he move?!

"Please, you don't understand!"

But the man known as Ice Cream could do nothing. He stood rooted to the spot as his biological son ignored him and walked away, slamming the door.

And the red mist descended.

~

"If I were a King, where would I live?"

"Well that's obvious," a ten year old Arno laughed, "The Palace."

"No, silly," the young girl giggled back, her long red hair flowing around her face, "The Jungle! Living in a Palace would do me no good."

"Why?"

"Because I am a Lion."

Twenty two year old Arno smirked. Even back then she always had a sense of humor with riddles. He thumbed the signature underneath the scrawled image of a lion.

" _Riddle won by Elise de la Serre_."

He heard a loud thump from above.

Arno held a fist up to his mouth and coughed very loudly and deliberately in the direction of the ceiling where Ice Cream was "sleeping". Probably with Green Coat. Seriously, they were making love in Francois tavern? Had they no decorum? Arno looked again at his black book, ignoring more series of muffled thumps above him followed by a sharp smash of something that sounded like an unfortunate porcelain bowl meeting its end.

Arno paused, the inner Assassin rising, ears pricking, making sure it wasn't the tell tale sounds of someone being attacked.

Then he heard Ice Cream's voice shout breathlessly, followed by a thump of a body falling onto the floor.

Jesus.

Yep, they were at it again.

Didn't they know how loud they were?

Arno turned a few more pages, the ceiling now mercifully quiet, feeling that pocket watch in his breast pocket.

"Where are you, Elise?" he murmured to himself. The last he had seen of his childhood friend was when he left to join the Assassins. To say she was not happy with his then disposition was an understatement. But he had his own reasons to join the Assassins. He promised himself that when this was all over, he would seek her out.

Arno mused what life would be like in this group it if he was in Ice Cream and Green Coat's position; having his lover with him, being part of the team of Assassins. Elise would probably fight with Green Coat yet be on good terms with Ice Cream. But then, sod's law, she would probably find Axe more of a fitting suitor than himself.

There was a soft knock at the door and Arno looked up.

"Enter."

Francois, head bowed, came in with a small bowl of watery porridge and dried fish.

"I'm sorry but this is all we have left."

"Oh, breakfast in bed? This is a pleasant..." Arno trailed off at Francois's red and blood shot eyes and a teary sniff, "...surprise."

"You're welcome," Francois croaked before frowning slightly, with a sniff, "Have you seen Monsieur Green Coat?"

"Not since we arrived," Arno said, wondering what had upset the boy, "...why do you ask?"

"He's not in his room..."

Arno's brain kicked in, trying with all his might not to look at the ceiling where the thumps had previously come from. Obviously Francois hadn't heard them. He thought up an excuse and made a mental note to demand a favor from Green Coat later.

"He's probably out training. He tends to do that. Goes out at night...like some alley cat."

Arno saw a tear forming in the corner of the teen's right eye, who wiped it away with a quick flick of a guilty hand.

The Ex-Templar frowned.

"Francois, if you don't mind me prying, is something bothering you?"

~

Axe and Arno, an hour later, were sat around the circular table with a single lit candle in the middle, in the quiet and semi dark tavern with a very silent Ice Cream. Who was staring off into space, eyes glazed over. Arno had seen the red rings under the man's eyes, identical to Francois's ones. He didn't have to ask what the matter was, Francois had literally burst into tears when he had asked. After a while of trying to comfort the sobbing boy the truth came out. He and Ice Cream had had a verbal falling out, which Arno dutifully listen too.

Until Francois told him Ice Cream and Green Coat were sodomites and that he had caught them in the act down by the river.

Arno had reacted with subdued and well acted surprise and offered his own take on the information. Were the two men hurting anyone? Was it a consensual relationship? Francois had replied with silence, nodding every now and again which the Ex-Templar took to be consideration. Hopefully.

But that didn't stop Arno from almost wanting to punch the Assassin he saw next.

Green Coat came trudging down the stairs with a big yawn. He sleepily greeted the group, grabbed his green uniform that was now surprisingly dry and crispy from the side and pulling it on over a white shirt. He was completely oblivious to the nights events as he threw himself lazily down onto a chair and thus automatically begun scooting his chair up next to Ice Cream's.

The older Assassin quickly indicated with sharp and offended eyes that Francois was across the room.

"Move."

Green Coat very quickly created a gap between their chairs, seeing the metaphorical daggers from Ice Cream and the short verbal command. He made a slight face under his cowl and looked out of the corner of his eyes at Ice Cream's face- wait, why were his eyes red?

"Monsieur Green Coat," Francois said stiffly, voice audibly sore from crying, bringing over a large and heavily dented metal bowl of soup, "Forgive me, but I couldn't offer you breakfast this morning as you were not in your room," then added after a distinct pause, "Where were you?"

"Er...," Green Coat drawled, feeling the air near Ice Cream bizarrely shift.

"You were out training this morning, weren't you?" Arno said, keen to head off any trouble as he could literally feel the hyper tension between Ice Cream and Francois crawling all over his skin.

"What?" his peer grunted, "In the pissing rain?"

"That's why," Arno said, bringing the heel of his boot discreetly, yet sharply, down upon the man's bare left toes under the table, "Your bed was not touched when Francois came to offer breakfast."

Green Coat angrily scrunched his face up from the pain, a retort that he had no idea what the fuck Arno was on about until his sleepy brain got the message.

"What-the-fu...oh, yes!" Green Coat said, trying to massage his toes with his other foot, "When you're an Assassin, Francois, you need to keep up your training. I find I can only do it when-"

"You're stalking the streets like a mange cat."

Green Coat stared at Arno.

"...yes," Green Coat stated with a hiss.

"Right," Axe's voice called up suddenly from scribbling in the large brown ledger, seemingly not to have heard any of the previous conversations. "You know the drill gentlemen. Mission time. Francois, you can sit in on this one if ya fancy. For it includes you. Oh and before I forget..."

Axe took out a large coin from his brown waist coat and tossed it up into the air in the direction of a passing Peter.

"Cheers for cleaning our coats, son. Can't promise we won't get 'em dirty again, but we'll give it a try."

~

The group of Assassins carefully crept out of the tavern in the early morning darkness. Exiting via the kitchens, the four men climbed up the next building's side, scampering around pipes and chimneys until they reached the roof. Arno looked back down and saw through the morning mist Francois standing by the door to the tavern's kitchen, waving goodbye but something seemed off. It was a brief well wish as, so not to draw attention to any eyes that might be spying, the boy had shut the door with as little sound as possible.

The Assassins, lead by Axe at the front, sprinted and scaled over the roof tops of Lyon. Arno, bringing up the rear, saw Ice Cream and Green Coat taking the same path ways across the buildings. It was sweet in an obnoxious sort of way until he laughed to himself that the image pretty much summed up their relationship; The Lock Smith always being the shadow to The Lock Picker.

But still, that didn't excuse them making love when ever they damn well felt like it. Poor Francois. Arno knew all too well how nauseating it was to catch the two Assassins bumping uglies.

The squad leaped onto the flint covered wall of Lyon's less guarded side of the City Wall and scaled up, over and down to the dirty and smelly moat below in silence. They helped each other to cross, climbing under the drawbridge as carts and unsuspecting merchants crossed above who hoped to get to market early, and scurried along the side of the other bank until they hit forest. When safely into the bushes, Axe waved them to sprint as fast as they could until he said otherwise. Arno let his energy and excitement flow into his legs and arms as he ran. Green Coat was sprinting off to his left in the dense foliage and Axe was barreling down a small dip in the forest floor, seeing every now and again a glint of an axe. Ice Cream, soon enough, was now in the lead, running so fast Arno was sure the man was going to burn himself out. True enough, the tall man began to flag as Axe over took him and the group followed the larger Assassin's lead.

A hand went up into the air as Axe jogged to a halt. The others all began slowing down, breathing heavily and moving to join up with Axe again.

"Right," Axe said with a gruff to his voice, gulping in air and taking out a familiar leather map from his waist coat, "Now... you lot get behind me," he said, wiping off the sweat with one hand that was pouring down his rugged forehead, "...gotta follow these notes," before he gave Ice Cream an exasperated look, "Bloody hell Ice, is your handwriting always this loopy?"

Ice Cream offered Axe a view of back of his tanned cowl as the Ex-Templar moved forwards.

"How do we know where to find the fountain in this?" Arno indicated to the trees around them.

"We follow the map," Green Coat said in between heavy breaths, which was followed by a quiet, "Twat."

"Really?" Arno said loudly, turning to confront the insult, still trying to catch his own breath back, "That's very predictive of you Green Coat. For a moment then I was worried you'd lost your touch," before adding with exasperation that none of the other Assassins seemed to be noticing, "Good Lord man, don't you have anything better to do with your time then insult me?"

"Perhaps-"

"Shut ya' gobs," Axe said, not looking up from his map.

The two young men were silent as their leader studied the leather. A long silence stretched with no one moving for several moments, until Ice Cream breathed out of his nostrils loudly, walked towards Axe, grabbed the map out of the man's hands and turned it upside down.

"East," Axe said with a cough, scratching his nose and firmly holding the map again in his hands. "Aye, we go East."

For an hour the group walked in silence with Axe at the front and the other three towards the back, keeping an eye out for any one following them. It wasn't long though before Arno caught the challenging eye of his nemesis who every now and again would favor his right foot.

Arno smiled smugly from under his blue cowl.

"Trouble with your foot?"

Green Coat unwittingly took the bait.

"You touch any part of my body again, Templar-"

"You two need to be more bloody careful," Arno hissed through his teeth, "Francois was in a state this morning, did you not see? Even rabbits would have some self control-"

"Mind your own fucking business," Green Coat spat back, while secretly thanking Arno for his earlier cover and not fully understanding what Francois had to do with it.

To Arno's surprise, Ice Cream harshly pushed Green Coat out of the way with a bit more force than was necessary.

"I'm so sorry you had to deal with that Arno, but thank you," Ice Cream said, now walking between the two warring Assassins, "I don't know what got into us."

"Oh, I think I have an idea."

Green Coat literally growled and went to shove Arno but Ice Cream's body got in the way.

"We promise we will be much more discreet," Ice Cream said before fixing Green Coat with a cold look. " _Much. More._ "

Green Coat could see Ice Cream was warning him. But why? What had happened while he had been getting dressed? Why was Francois being brought up again? That feeling of uneasiness surrounding how he viewed Ice Cream surfaced. Green Coat coughed, flexing his neck and straightening his white neck scarf.

"Fine," Arno said, as Axe turned and told the others to hurry up and to stop belly aching for pete's sake.

For the next forty minutes Green Coat kept his head pointed at the ground as he walked near Ice Cream, that undercurrent of nervousness sloshing around in his gut. No, Ice couldn't have gone for Axe in the past. Perhaps the leader was remembering wrongly, he tried to convince himself. But then again, his head wasn't bandaged for no reason. And what was that "Move" Ice Cream had near enough spat at him back at Francois's tavern?-

A flash of yellow on the forest floor caught his attention.

The Assassin bent down, out of the notice of the others and quickly picked the brightly colored flower. _"Do you love him, lad?"_ Axe's voice repeated in his head. Yes he did but...were there customs in a relationship he was over looking? Protocols of stages that Ice Cream had been looking out for? He had been wondering, having seen the way Frederic was towards Camille. Not a day went past when the idiot didn't shower flowers or some other bit of tat on her. Personally he thought it was stupid, why not give her a gift that she could actually use, like a new weapon? The whole thing was down right baffling.

Green Coat twirled the small head of the flower between his thumb and finger, thinking with a deep scowl, before quickly stuffing the stalk into an inner pocket before Ice Cream saw. Perhaps if he took a leaf out of Frederic's book then a flower would cheer the ginger up?

A warm knot settled nicely in his chest and, he had to admit, he was cautiously excited now at the prospect of presenting tat.

He felt a presence near his right side and was about to move away when a soft hand slid into his. Green Coat was surprised he didn't flinch as he looked up and saw his lover on the verge of tears. Surprised at the strong emotion, the younger forgot his miss givings about Ice Cream's earlier behavior and squeezed the hand in his grasp reassuringly.

The ginger squeezed back.

"Hey..." Green Coat said softly searching crystal blue eyes as they walked.

"Hey...." Ice Cream replied, then with a sniff and a smile added, "I'm alright... just had a bit of miss understanding with Francois, is all."

Green Coat purposely slowed his walk so Arno was more ahead of them with Axe.

"About?"

Ice Cream shook his head.

"...he knows you're his-?" said Green Coat taking a wild guess.

"No," Ice Cream whispered, "...although not for lack of trying...but he knows that we're in a sexual relationship."

Green Coat frowned with surprise. So that's what Arno meant...

"And he is not in the camp of toleration."

"He spoke to you?" Green Coat asked, not letting go of that warm hand, "Wait, how did he find out?"

Ice Cream's walk began to slow more, eyes on the backs of the other two Assassin uniforms ahead.

"We need to be much more discreet in how we show affection outside of the bedroom," Ice Cream whispered.

The twenty two year old lowered his voice so the other two wouldn't hear.

"What happened?"

"He accused me of being unnatural, of committing vile acts, nothing new," Ice Cream said with a self deprecating smirk, as they stepped over a large rock of moss, "He just...his view on the world is very narrow. Now he thinks I'm a liar."

"You're not a liar-"

"I lied to his face when he asked if the rumors were true."

"Oh."

"This was before he saw us-"

"What, he saw us?!"

"Oh shite, Green-"

"Where?"

"It doesn't matter-"

"Yes, it does very well matter," Green Coat pressed, "...someone else could have seen-"

"On the rock," the ginger whispered flatly, "...in the river."

The Lock Smith frowned before his features smoothed out into horrific mortification.

"..the wood-pigeon...that's why..." he said with clarity, the image of the bird flying out behind a rock while they were copulating, "Well, fuck me sideways..."

"That's what got us into this problem in the first place."

Green Coat jerked his head to the side to face Ice Cream as they walked, surprised at the spot of humor from his sullen partner.

Ice Cream smiled as a tear fell and Green Coat let go of the hand and put an arm round the ginger's shoulders as they walked, pressing his lips to the warm forehead as Ice Cream nuzzled his head into his lover's neck. It was a brief show of affection of reassurance that Ice Cream needed, before they let go and the taller shook his head to gain control of his emotions. But it wasn't long before they were holding hands again.

The lovers were quiet for a long time, as Arno and Axe led them deeper into the forest and over more and more large moss covered boulders.

The younger Assassin could feel the weight of the flower in his inner breast pocket.

"Oh," Ice Cream began, gripping Green Coat's gloves hand warmly, "I have something to tell you."

"Oh?" Green Coat asked, worry upon his face.

"No, it's nice this time...Frederic has asked us to be God Parents."

Green Coat's eyes widened.

"Both of us?"

"No, just me," Ice Cream jested with a straight face before cracking and laughing, "Yes, both of us."

"That's," Green Coat smiled, half laughing to himself, trying to take in the offer until a deeply serious look fell upon his face, "That's...wait, I don't know how to look after a child."

"Hopefully we won't," Ice Cream said, moving a branch out of the way as they walked, "Even with the little boy's parents being Assassins. Frederic and Camille are rather excellent at the craft."

"Here, here," the black haired man nodded, stepping over a rock, "So...do we have to do anything in this role? As God Parents?"

"Not really. We can be those fashionable relatives who let him eat an extra sweet after dinner," Ice Cream laughed. "Perhaps look after him from time to time. Camille has already put in a request with me to take him off her hands for a few hours. I need to speak to her when we return. Poor woman, I know how much sleep, or lack there of, new mothers get."

Green Coat paused, watching his partner carefully as they continued walking. He smiled, glad that not only was Ice Cream thinking about other pleasant matters than the fight with Francois but that their relationship was solid enough in the eyes of his once adoptive mother and father to be considered stand in parents.

He'd deal with the fact Francois knew later-before he realized that Arno had stamped on his foot for no reason.

~

It took them three hours to realize they had been walking in circles.

"Ice, you wrote these feckin' directions, you lead."

"Axe, Frederic said you had to lead."

"What for?"

"I don't know, something about your weight being the main factor- oh, no I didn't mean it like that."

The two other Assassins stared at the marked tree as the elder ones quarreled. Twice they had passed it and twice something seemed off. Axe had mumbled something intelligible under his breath, before marching them on in a different direction.

The others followed.

As they squelched along the forest's floor in the midday sun, boots heavily muddy from the previous night's rain storm, it was becoming apparent the team were starting to loose moral. The Assassins took breaks every now and again for food, toilet breaks and to make sure they weren't being followed. It was on the food break that Arno saw Green Coat sitting next to Ice Cream on a rock, both having finished their lunch. Arno was chewing the cud on some dried meat, beef or old boot from the taste of it, and turned his head over to see something that made him pause.

Of Green Coat discretely offering Ice Cream a small yellow daffodil.

To which Ice Cream smiled, lent over and pressed his lips to the green clad Assassin's in thanks.

Arno looked away, trying not to watch the private moment between the two, and ignoring the feeling of envy. He wished Elise was there with them. The twenty two year old looked up sharply when Axe came out from behind a nearby bush, having christened it with his full bladder.

"You'd think the Brotherhood would have some rule against partners working together," Arno quietly said to Axe as he and the leader began walking again, motioning the other two to follow, "It's changes the dynamic of the group, don't you think?"

Axe cast a quick glance to the two other men behind them, making sure they couldn't hear, noticing a small yellow flower peaking out of the top of Ice Cream's red sash.

"You mean that the Assassins concerned will be too preoccupied with each others safety that they'd put everyone else at risk?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

"Aye, see why the Brotherhood frowns on couples being in teams? But then, when you're in love...," Axe trailed off, once again throwing a quick glance to the couple behind them, "Ice and Green aren't thick, son, they know the score...anyway I can't deny them, seein' as I was the same..."

Arno decided to ask his question after all, after a strong sun beam bounced off the edge of the handsome axe on the man's back.

"...when did you wife pass away?"

"A few summers ago. My little boy, too. Love of my lives, the both of 'em," Axe said before turning his head towards Arno, "Eh...I see Ice Cream told you, did he?"

"Oui," Arno said, "...I'm sorry."

"Tis not your fault, lad. I've still got me daughter and that carrot top back there. Even me sister-in-law....You ever been in love?"

"Once..."

"...ahh, I can tell, ya still are," Axe beamed with a thump of an elbow to his ribs, "So what's her name?"

"Elise," Arno said rubbing a hand against his side.

Elise?"

"Oui..."

"Templar?"

"Unfortunately."

Axe stopped on the path and looked at Arno, knowing the two love birds a few paces away were necking. He fixed the younger with a curious look.

"Why did you join the Brotherhood of Assassins, Arno Dorian?"

"To find her," Arno said truthfully, "And to correct a mistake I made long ago."

"Which would be?"

"Believing Templar doctrine."

Axe nodded slowly before the other two walked quickly back up to join them.

"...You two finished with the canoodling?" the bearded Assassin asked with a raise eyebrow.

Ice Cream quickly pecked the cheek of Green Coat, playfully. "Oui," he said with a devious smirk, jerking his head out of the way fast as his lover tried to return the favor and missed.

"Right, 'ere's the turnin'. Put ya thinking caps on chaps...wrong path aside, the map gets us as far as the next bend, after that...we're on our own. Understood?"

The group agreed.

After twenty more minutes of stepping on broken twigs and leaves the four man group arrived at the spot.

But there was nothing more than the same unrelenting forest.

"Any hints where we might start looking?" Arno asked, half waving to the woods surrounding them, a few birds calling out in the distance.

"Well, the directions say right 'ere is the place," Axe said looking around at the floor as if some clue would magically present itself out of the brown and orange fallen leaves.

Arno, feeling his legs sore from all the walking, spied a large log off to the side and sat down.

"Could we have over shot the location?" Green Coat asked with a scowl, scanning the floor in front of him.

"No," Ice Cream said, turning around on the spot, a yellow flower sticking out of his sash, "Everything until now has run according to these instructions. Could we...dare I say, ask the Lion?"

Arno shifted a bit on the log. Damn this piece of wood was biting his ass.

"I'd rather not," Axe said, scratching his beard, "Remember the kitty wants it's eyes back so-"

"So it could show us the way...right? If we speak to it in Latin?" Ice Cream offered looking to the dark haired and shorter Assassin next to him.

"Don't look at me, I hate the bloody thing."

Arno shifted his weight and suddenly a pain shot through his left arse cheek and into his leg.

"Oww! What the...?!"

Arno squinted as he stood up. That log had a pretty damn sharp edge to it- Arno suddenly bent down and ran his finger tips over his previous sitting apparatus. He pushed and felt immense resistance. The material was soft with moss but if he picked away at it... Suddenly he began tearing the moss away in fistfuls, layer after layer, randomly reminding himself to let Ice Cream know if the man was still collecting moss that there was a ton of it over here. He stopped when something white appeared between the grime.

"Men!"

The other three stopped talking among themselves and came running.

Arno stood back, dirt covering his leather gloves and a triumphant smirk on his face.

"What do you make of that, gentlemen?"

There was silence as the Assassins crowded round and stared at huge and dirt covered stone paw.

"It's a corner stone!" Ice Cream nearly cried, face wild with excitement as he bent down, trying to tear more moss away from the beast's leg.

"What do you say, lads? This a better clue as any!" Axe shouted before he slapped Arno the upper arm, "Good work, son. We'll make an Assassin out of you yet!"

Arno didn't hear what the other member of the group had to say.

Half and hour later, the mud, dirt, vines and other plant life were cleared from the paw and surrounding areas to reveal a large and once proud reclining stone white lion, who's face had been completely smashed off, leaving only a chunk of stone that was once a mane. Under the left side was a curious large square chunk of stone with a dark hole in the middle.

A key hole.

"Right, work your magics gents!" Axe said and patted Green Coat on the back as the lovers, after using some water from their water skins to clean the area of dirt and grime, got to work.

~

An hour passed and the air began to turn cold.

The couple both stared at the lock.

"Here, try this pick."

"I've used that one already."

"The trig-piece too?"

"Oui, it snapped in half last time."

"Oh...," Ice Cream said, gazing down to the unrolled fabric over his knee that contained small pockets filled with metal lock picks of all shapes and sizes. He gently took out one, "...perhaps this double hooked one will fair better?"

"Merci, Ice Cream," Green Coat said as he scratched at the bandage around his head and took the pick, wiped sweat from off the bridge of his nose and continued poking and prodding the locked hole. The two Assassins took it in turns to try and crack it.

Arno and Axe had, in the mean time, been making sure the area was secure and clearing more moss from a stone square on the floor.

Axe grunted as he threw a large log off to the side and looked down as beads of sweat poured down his naked chest and back. Arno, who had only removed his blue jacket and didn't feel the need to strip, used his hidden blade to cut vines away from the base of what looked suspiciously like a fountain. He stood back and admired. Directly in front of the headless lion statue was a shallow stone basin. Cracks had appeared along the sides where roots of trees had impacted it and bits had crumbled away under the weight of time. Both Axe and Arno checked around the grey and brown edges of the fountain's stone base but found nothing. No more holes for keys, no markings, no pictures. Nothing.

Ice Cream took over as Green Coat put his ear to the large stone block of the lion's side.

"You pick while I listen," Green Coat said.

"Understood."

"Turn it left and stop when I say."

The ginger haired man complied and carefully turned the slim iron pick anti clock wise.

"...and...wait, stop...I can hear...that's mechanics...odd...alright, continue."

Ice continued.

"Stop."

Ice Cream froze and looked to the man next to him who was hunched over, side of his face and bandage head still pressed to the cold and dirty colored stone.

"Turn it right a fraction."

Ice Cream did and something loud clicked.

The lovers looked at each other.

"Did we do it? "Ice Cream breathed but nothing further happened.

"I'm not sure," Green Coat said, pressing his ear more forcefully against the stone lock, "...but something definitely unlatched in thereEEEAAAHHHHHH!"

"GREEN!"

Ice Cream lunged forwards with a shout, as the stone door Green had been leaning against gave out with a loud crunch and the Assassin fell into the open hole.

The Lock Picker managed to grab the man by one ankle as there was a splash from the darkness below.

"PULL 'IM UP!!" Axe yelled as him and Arno legged it over. Axe and Arno leaned down, got a good hold on Green Coat's lower leg and boot before all three pulled.

There was a bubbling of water from down below in the darkness before a shrill cursing voice pierced the air.

"-AAH! FUCK! FUCK!"

"You alright, lad?!"

Green Coat hung upside down from one leg in the air, arms dangling around him, fighting with his large coat that was getting caught in his limbs.

" HNN, YES, JUST.... **FUCK** THAT WATER'S COLD!"

The other Assassins didn't have time to breathe a sigh of relief as they began to pull their team mate up-

"NO DON'T!" Green Coat's voice called, shaking his head free of water, something in the darkness of the cavern catching his eye. "DON'T MOVE. I NEED TO LIGHT A MATCH."

"What do you see?!" Arno shouted down.

Green Coat, one leg up in the air and the other in Ice's, Arno's and Axe's grasp, scrunched up his gut and squatted upwards to reach his trouser pocket, wiping rotten smelling water from his eyes while trying not to be suffocated by his green coat's sides shielding his vision. He grabbed the match box he knew was there and a rag from a pocket. He unsheathed his hidden blade and wrapped the fabric around it, careful not to tear it too much. He then carefully lit the material and held his wrist out. Light from the flames illuminated the walls of the small domed water chamber and Green Coat lost his voice. For staring right back at him across the other end of the space was a huge half submerged stone archway, flanked by two headless lions. Green Coat looked up and saw an inscription on the tomb's archway.

"Salmacis....?"

~

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Wings - Entering into a large underground tomb, guys? Watch out for traps...!
> 
> British English  
> Tat = rubbish/ an item of no worth
> 
> History Note:  
> "Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira!" is a French Revolution song which roughly translates to "Ah! It'll be fine, It'll be fine, It'll be fine!" and was popular to sing by the general populist. It can be heard in one of the Clubs that you can renovate in Assassin's Creed: Unity. A rendition of the song can be found here: https://youtu.be/-srLjMRjoVI


	37. A Crypt for Water

 ~

Green Coat swallowed as best he could from his position hanging upside down by one ankle. He breathed in and nearly gagged on his own spit as the musty and stale air heavily disagreed with his lungs. The make shift torch that he had fashioned upon his hidden blade flickered, illuminating the circular and watery tomb. The twenty-two year old looked around as best he could from in between his soaking black hair, ignoring how his head was beginning to throb from all the blood rushing to it and the putrid water that still clung to his nose and cheeks from his earlier face dive. He hated to think what this water was doing to his bandaged forehead.

"What?" Ice Cream called from high above him in the skylight.

"It's Salmacis," Green Coat repeated under his breath to himself, double checking again the translation, before his head throbbed sharply and he pointed his mouth up towards the others, squinting in the bright light.

"IT'S SALMACIS! IT'S SALMACIS! IT'S HER!"

"Her?!" he heard Ice Cream shout down, obvious excitement in his tone.

"YES! I MEAN NO!" Green Coat continued, relaxing his gut with a grunt and looking back at the upside image, "AN INSCRIPTION! LATIN!"

Axe started laughing.

"Feckin' Lord above, Frederic was telling the truth."

"Hold on, we'll pull you up!" Arno shouted as the three men took a good hold of the young Assassin's brown boot and trouser leg. They began to pull their comrade back out of the hole-

"WAIT!" Green Coat's voice shouted, "DROP ME! I'LL MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE-"

"You sure?!" Ice Cream shouted back.

"YES!" Green Coat replied, looking down at the disgusting green water below him, quietly adding, "...I think..."

"What's under the water?" Axe shouted down, "Can ya' see any dangers?"

Green Coat squinted his eyes and held his flaming hidden blade towards the green and blue slime that covered the water, waving it from side to side. It looked deep but then the algae covering the surface could mask anything sinister that was hidden. He sniffed, a faint odor coming from the arch way across from him but he couldn't pin down exactly what it was. The young Assassin felt the hot fire at his wrist lick near his face and he moved his hand quickly away. Well, he had a choice. Either they could pull him back up only to descend again or he could take the literal fall and face plant once more. Which would be quicker. And seeing as he didn't hit his head on anything previously...

"DO IT!" Green Coat shouted before squeezing his eyes shut with a, "Please may there not be spikes..."

SPLASH!

There was a thick silence around the three men at the roof of the chamber as they crowded around the skylight with baited breaths. Soon they heard a second splash followed by a loud gasp, cursing and lots of coughing which soon turned into laughing.

"It's alright!" Green Coat's voice finally called up in a loud echo, spitting cold liquid out of his mouth, spluttering more and flicking his wet hair out of his eyes, "Water only comes up to my thighs!"

"Oh-thank-goodness," Ice Cream breathed, hanging his head down from a breath he didn't even know he had been holding.

"Alright lads," Axe said standing up from his crouching at the edge, reaching over to Ice Cream's travel bag and taking something long out of it, "Looks like we be doin' a spot of swimming."

~

"Urgh."

Green Coat wrinkled his nose up and turned in a semi circle around himself as his coat swirled around him in the watery gunk. He stood silent, shivers from the cold and within starting to run up the back of his spine. The room was a dead circle with just as dead water. Where the flow, if there was any, was coming from he had no idea but suspected it came from the half submerged passage, under the Salmacis written arch way. He coughed as bits of grass and dirt fell behind him in the sun shaft as a long rope was thrown down, splashing into the freezing water. Green Coat looked back up to see his lover carefully descending the rope, his legs wrapped tightly around the cord. Green Coat pulled the burnt material off his hidden blade, dumped it in the water and retracted his slightly charred weapon with a "snick". He moved over to help steady his partner as he sploshed into the water too with a gasp.

"Oh my!" Ice Cream breathed, taking a moment to steady himself on his lover's shoulders, "Now that is cold! And, urgh, that smell!"

The young man nodded, rubbing a hand up and down his lover's arm to reassure and warm him before turning back around to scrutinize the archway in the darkness, as Axe came down next, followed by Arno.

"Cor, you weren't half joking about his water!" Axe mumbled around a long pieces of wood in his mouth, a large splash of water echoing around the dome, "I think one of me nuts just fell off."

"Gah," Arno blurted as he descended into the water with a splash, boots hitting the underwater stone floor that was suspiciously soft, clothes water logged up to his thighs, "I hope that's only a figure of speech, Axe."

Green Coat turned around and saw Axe take the thick pieces of wood out from between his teeth. The man put a large hand into his brown waist coat pocket and took out a match box, lighting a match and setting his own torch alright. Next he offered one to Ice Cream and Axe repeated the gesture, handing a third torch to Arno who took it gracefully.

The four men were quiet as they observed the surrounding small watery tomb in the light from the three flaming torches. The walls were of smooth stone, probably once glorious white, but were now brown, grey and green from the centuries of nature taking over. Thick tree roots hung limply from the ceiling and others had buried themselves deep in the walls, obviously using the water below as a source of energy.

"Can anyone smell that?" Ice Cream said looking for confirmation at the others with the back of a hand to his nose. "My goodness, that is eye watering-"

"It's not exactly smellin' of roses down here," Axe remarked, "but it ain't making me eyes water."

Ice Cream's eyes went to the other two.

"I can smell something too but it's not pungent," Arno said to which Green Coat grunted with a nod.

"Urgh, well let's move but, before we do, I must ask...who weighs the least?" Ice Cream said, voice muffled behind his hand.

"Why?" Arno replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Pressure traps," Ice Cream said, handing his torch to his partner and quickly pulling his elbow length gloves up higher, "Salmacis was a Greek water naiad, hence the pool here. And the ancients did love their booby-traps when it came to tomb robbers."

"You read that in your Roman Bath book?" Green Coat quipped with a smile, the memory of the first time he had woken up in his lover's bed coming to mind.

Ice Cream chuckled.

"Indeed. Good to know you read my books when I'm not looking," the ginger said with a good humored smile, taking back the torch from Green Coat.

"Only when you're asleep," Green Coat replied with a wink, turning his head back to the mysterious arch way.

"Perhaps that's what's upsetting your senses?" Arno indicated with a frown, poking at some large pieces of gunk that floated past with his own torch, "What does it smell like?"

"Eggs," Ice Cream said with a cough and a wrinkle of nose, "Really rotten eggs."

"Hmm, odd," Axe said, casting his gaze in a circle, seemingly ignoring the current conversation.

"What is?" Green Coat asked, the smell of their burning torch smoke now overlapping the rotting eggs scent.

Axe cleared his throat, rolling his shoulders, making the heavy axe on his back clink against the thick belts, "Frederic said we'd find the entrance easily. And I don't call that," he said motioning to the bright light streaming in from the hole above them in the darkness, "easy."

Ice Cream nodded, "Frederic didn't say anything to me either about a key or an arch way. Or those over there with their heads gone."

All four men turned to see the flanking and decapitated lion statues.

"Makes you wonder what else he's keeping from us," Green Coat muttered before he looked pointedly at Axe, "Now you know how it feels to be kept in the dark."

"Here, here" Arno said, surprised he was for once agreeing with his rival.

Axe made a face of annoyance.

"Hmm, well he must have his reasons-"

"Ah!"

All eyes turned to Ice Cream. The ginger blinked repeatedly and shook his head, like he was trying to regain vision in his eyes.

"Ice?" Axe said, turning his bearded head towards the ginger with a furrowed brow as Green Coat reached out and grabbed a tanned coated lower arm.

"Oh, I um...," Ice Cream said, blinking again, "I went dizzy for a second there...bright yellow lights flashed before me....urgh, the smell is too much here, I'm going to have to move."

"I'm the lightest, ll go first," Arno said turning to look at his green clothed peer, his legs becoming numb from the cold water, "Your coat is heavy with belts and crypt gunk.

"I think the water soaking our clothes is going to make us all seem heavier," Ice Cream said, blinking again and nodding that he was alright to Green Coat.

"Fine, lead the way son," Axe said, ignoring the look of annoyance from the other young member as Axe nudged Arno and handed his torch to Green Coat before unsheathing his axe, "Weapons out, ladies. Don't take anything for granted. Chances are we're in a Precursor Tomb."

The group quietly agreed, each taking out a pistol in their free hand.

"After you," Ice Cream said, hand out to Arno.

"Age before beauty," Arno joked, making Ice Cream remember the scene before the Storming of the Bastille. The Lock Picker chuckled and pulled at his almond colored cowl beak with a wink.

The group carefully and, in strict formation, professionally waded towards the arch way, lights held high. Arno in the lead, followed by Ice Cream, Axe and Green Coat bringing up the rear. The green algae and odd plant life swirled around in sickly circles, passing their bodies as they waded. As they reached the half submerged arch way, Axe nodded towards the headless lions on either side.

"How do you think they lost 'em?"

"I don't know," Ice Cream said, with a squint. "The Fountain of Salmacis book says nothing about lions or any animals for that matter."

Green Coat frowned, confused.

"The Mausoleum doesn't appear either..."

"Right," Ice Cream said to his partner, "What their connection is, apart from being in the same area, is unknown."

"Well we ain't in Turkey," Axe said, moving his flickering torch over the stone works.

  They spent a good few more minutes inspecting the decapitated creatures but found no markings or other useful information.

"Just to make sure," Arno asked, shaking his hidden blade's arm, his wrist cramping, looking over to Ice Cream, "Salmacis was never a real woman, was she? Or Precursor? Not likely to meet her down here, are we?"

"Depends," Ice Cream said, running a gloved hand over the edge of one of the lion's smashed manes. "Some people say the story was made up. Some say she was real. According to all the stories, though, she could switch bodies. Merge. There are statues of her as a beautiful woman from hundreds of years ago but whose to say her appearance is not just an artist impression?"

Arno smirked under his hood.

"You're not answering my question."

Ice Cream gave him a smile before nodding to his pistol.

"Don't put that away."

~

Arno looked to his right and down into the tight and dark passage way. There seemed to be a series of what looked like steps leading upwards and then away. He gingerly moved his foot out. He felt the floor and found it solid. No raised edges that could indicate a malicious trap. This repeated for the next fifteen minutes. Each following, literally, in the same footsteps as each other. The Assassins had ducked their heads under the archway and, sure enough, there was a series of raised stone steps. Inwards they had moved through the near pitch black and cold tunnel, pistols at their hips and fire torches up lighting the way.

Arno lowered his torch to the floor, continuing to scan for any pressure stones or disturbance in the dirt. Round a corner they moved in silence. For a few minutes this continued, the only sounds being water condensation dripping from the cold ceiling and down the backs of their coats. A faint mist hung in the air that smelt faintly of bad eggs. Must be what was effecting Ice Cream. It was a mild annoyance, Arno mused, to his nose at best but-

"Oh Jesus, Mary and Joseph," Ice Cream gasped a bit too loudly, a hand pressed to his mouth and nose. "I think I'm going to be sick-"

There was a dry hacking sound from the Assassin.

"What is making that stench?!"

Arno kept his eyes on the floor at Ice Cream's words, knowing Green and Axe were sorting out the man's issue. He tested one stone, hearing the copper haired man say he was alright, just as long as he breathed through his mouth. Arno put pressure on the stone slab in front of him, repeating as he went-

"Stop."

Arno froze.

Ice Cream, hand still over his mouth, eyes squinting, very slowly came up to him and nodded to his right.

The Ex-Templar looked with his flaming torch to his right and saw a long section of wall that was smothered in vines and leaves. Upon closer inspection, however, the side of the tunnel had holes in neat rows of threes running down the entire length of the wall.

"That's a pressure trap," Ice Cream whispered, taking the torch very slowly from Arno.

"It's not on the floor?"

Ice Cream shook his head and pointed to a large branch that was hanging in front of the holes that began the series.

"Move the vines and the trap activates. It's a pressure trap alright. Air pressure. The entire section of this tunnel is."

Arno tried not to let fear get to him at misunderstanding Ice Cream's earlier warning.

"Alright everyone," the copper haired man whispered, turning to the others behind him, "Very slowly, one by one, move. The vines are-" Ice Cream began dry retching again before swallowing forcibly, "...holding the trap in place so don't touch any of them."

"You'd think the vines covering them would set it off," Arno said, frowning with concern at the man's behavior.

"The roots grow so slowly that it doesn't matter," Ice Cream replied as he changed hands across his mouth, swallowing with pain again. "Oh Jesus-"

"Ice," Axe rumbled gently, moving towards him, "If you'd rather stay at the entrance-"

"No, no," Ice Cream said from behind his hand, "Just a bit sensitive to that smell, is all-"

"Honestly?" Green Coat asked with a concerned frown.

Ice Cream nodded quickly with a cough.

"Hmmm...," Axe said slowly, as the ginger turned away.

"Follow me."

Ice Cream carefully moved his body forwards pass the trap, the others following extremely slowly.

"We'll be alright, just don't touch the vines."

Green Coat nodded to himself at Ice Cream's order. He blinked hard. That feeling was coming back again. A pressure building up inside his head that had nothing to do with his injured forehead. Or did it, he mused. Hmm, perhaps the sodden bandage that was wrapped under his hair and around his head needed changing. Having gone head first into stagnant crypt water probably wasn't the best thing for his powder burn. But no... he knew this throbbing. In the silence of the passageway, the tingling at the base of his skull had begun. Like someone was pressing their thumb against the top of his neck. He concentrated, moving his wet coated body as far from the vines as possible, breathing a sigh of relief when he joined the others at the other end, to the start of a right angle corridor. He didn't know if the shaking in his limbs was down to being cold, wet or scared.

"Wait, how are we going to get back?" Arno asked.

"As easily as we came," Axe said, pushing forwards, "Not a moment too soon if you ask me."

"Then why not activate the trap now? So it's deactivated?"

He heard a scoff and saw his peer nod to a wooden beam above them.

Arno felt a prick of annoyance that the other two Assassins hadn't heard him, before he looked where Green Coat had indicated and realized the pressure trap was, in fact, holding the entire tunnel up. Arno held his torch up high to the ceiling and saw small cracks issuing like lighting across the stone work. Dust every now and again falling down in faint streams. It was so obvious it was painful. Disturb the air pressure by the holes and the entire tunnel would come crashing down upon your head.

Sucking in his pride and fear, Arno moved onward.

The men walked in silence, each taking it in turn to scan the haunting route ahead with the flaming torches that they possessed. The air in the passage was not the best smell in the world, but it really seemed to be doing a number on Ice Cream. The man had one hand on a torch and the other holding the scruff of his white collared shirt at his mouth. A couple of times the Assassins had jumped when a bat flew down from the ceiling, or a freezing drip fell onto their hooded heads. The thousand year old tunnel was narrowing and Axe just about managed not to bump his head as they squeezed through.

"How do you think this place was carved out?" Arno asked by Ice Cream's side.

"Lava," the Assassin replied, "These tunnels are both natural and man made. Were probably old lava tubes when they were first discovered. Years of digging making their mark-"

"But why here? What uses has this place?"

"Well, I've been assuming it's a tomb."

Arno held his torch up to the side of the tunnel they were in, scanning the smooth surface as they walked.

"So where are the dearly interned?"

"That's what I'm wondering," Ice Cream said giving Arno a haunting look.

"It's more like a Labyrinth in here," Arno added with a frown before Ice gave him a smirk.

"Let's hope we don't meet the Minotaur."

~

After a while Arno found himself in the front, methodically sweeping his flaming torch from side to side-

He stopped, staring at something off to his right.

Footprints.

Of dried blood.

Arno held a hand up, the sign that something or someone was present. The group knew the drill. Silent communication. Arno moved sideways, indicating to the footprints. Axe quickly began making hand signals to the couple, whom nodded and moved carefully past Arno. Arno, felt a flash of déjà vu  at not being privy to the commands being given. At best, the sign language the older man was using he could only hope to guess. The couple crept down the hall way, Ice Cream following the gruesome tracks while Green Coat looked up ahead for any dangers, his pistol out. Soon, round another bend in the now slightly windy passage, as the footprints continued until the ginger put a hand up. He signaled to Axe.

Arno and Axe came up and looked to where the man was pointing.

The dried bloodied footprints had turned into a messy smeared patch on the floor before abruptly stopping.

Axe made more signals to Green Coat who looked down again at the footprints before putting three fingers up, then four and shrugged.

"Alright," Axe said quietly, giving Arno permission to talk.

"What?"

"Three to four months Green reckons these footprints have been here."

"Months?" Arno asked, unconvinced.

"Indeed," said the emerald coated Assassin, "...who ever made them is long gone."

"But that means someone's-"

"Been here before us, aye," Axe finished quietly for Arno, "..But 'o?"

"...Frederic?" Arno offered to Axe. He hated to say it, but he had long suspected Frederic knew more than he was letting on. Even for an Assassin.

"That don't make a lick of sense-"

"You said yourself he knew the fountain was here," the Ex-Templar replied, "How did he know?"

"But if it was him, for argument's sake, how could 'e get in here?" Axe retorted, "We fell through the feckin' roof-"

"Could be another way in?"

"It can't be Frederic," Green Coat said, blinking with a shake of his head, "...who ever it was that left these was injured and Frederic is fine-"

"....Axe...?"

All looked up at Ice Cream who was staring at a wall further down the passage, his torch held high.

Arno did not like the look on his face.

"You'd better see this."

The Assassins quickly came up behind the ginger and stared.

Arno squinted in the darkness, holding his own torch up high, not sure if the air in the passage was getting colder or if it was just him, his trousers still clinging to his wet legs. On the wall were a series of lion relief carvings. The animals were depicted as doing a number of things; hunting a pack of deer or sleeping under rocks. The paint that had once decorated their forms and the handsome carved plant life around them had peeled off over time but there was something similar on all the faces of the lions.

"The eyes," Green Coat whispered with eyes wide, "They've been gouged out."

Arno moved the torch in his hand over to the wall directly behind them in the passage. Sure enough the identical lions etched into this wall too had met the same fate. Arno moved closer to them and ran a finger gently over the holes, mindful these could be another set of pressure traps.

"All of them have," he said.

"And recently," Ice Cream said, with a dark look under his tanned hood, holding up a slightly dusty and broken chisel.

"Where did you find that?" Axe asked, before Ice Cream pointed to just below the wall, near where the footprints vanished.

Arno moved in closer to the wall in front of him, ignoring a low cursing murmur from Axe who quickly put the tool in his waist coat. Where the beast's eyes should be where rough chunks of missing stones. Who ever had destroyed the eyes had done it in a hurry. There were scuff marks where the vandal had dragged the tool across the lions before smashing off the next animal's eyes. Something off to his left caught his attention and Arno moved very slowly towards it.

"Why would the eyes all be gouged out?" Ice Cream said, taking his hand away from his mouth with a worried expression.

"I dunno but this ain't sitting well in me gullet," Axe said, "Not one soddin' bit-"

 "Men!"

All moved quickly and carefully over to Arno's call.

"I think I've found our mystery man."

Torches were brought over to illuminate the corner of the passageway where tunnel met a T junction. The Assassins crowded round. There, lying hunched over, back pressed against the wall was a skeleton, its bones poking through with scraps of dirty cloth that were once clothes. Evidence of rats and another creatures had gnawed away on its bones and the skull was hanging limply down from its shoulders.

"Good Lord," Ice Cream breathed, "...we really are not the first."

"Who do you think he was?" Arno asked crouching down on his haunches, waving the torch out slowly over the sad figure.

"That's not what we should be asking."

Arno tilted his head up to Green Coat.

"Then what is?"

Green Coat gave Arno a dark stare.

"What killed him?"

The group looked at each other and then back to the corpse.

Green Coat bent down next to Arno and made a face as he pulled back some of the skeleton's dusty clothes.

"Could he have been the one who left the footprints?" Arno asked, holding the torch high so Green Coat could work.

"I doubt it," Axe offered, "...them prints were somewhat fresh...this poor bastard has been dead years."

"Shot," Green Coat said matter-of-fact, "His ribs are broken down one side. Signs of an heavy impact from a small object."

Arno looked back at the skeleton with a frown. He continued to squat, took the forehead of the skull in his fingers and pushed the head back.

There was a small gasp from Ice Cream as a spider crawled out of a socket. Arno quickly let go, making a face before getting a hold of himself and returned to tilting the skull's head up towards them.

"His eyes were burnt out," Ice Cream whispered as the men stared.

Arno wrinkled his nose. It was true. For where there were once eye sockets, were now heavily chard holes of black.

"Why would someone do that?" Arno asked, "The man would clearly be dead from the gun shot-"

"Unless he was blinded before he was shot," Green Coat said, a thinking scowl still on his face, reaching a hand over and pushing the skull from side to side in inspection as Arno moved away.

"Ice," Axe said, folding his arms across his chest in thought, "...anything in your books of eye burnin' traps?"

"Only the one Frederic mentioned," Green answered for him, letting the skull drop down, seeing Ice Cream slam a hand to his face, muttering the putrid smell was back again, "Lightning he said, at the Mausoleum in Turkey."

Arno squinted at the skull, seeing small lines around each eye socket. He traced the lines with a finger before the revelation hit him.

"Good Lord, he clawed them out himself."

"Come again?" Axe said as Green Coat leaned over and saw.

"Is that not the result of rats?"

Both young Assassins stared at the faint scratch marks that peppered the outsides of the skulls eye sockets before very slowly looking at each other.

"These are too big for a rat's claws," Arno said.

"As if having his eyes burn out weren't enough," Axe said.

"Why on Earth would he do such a thing?" Arno slowly asked with narrowed eyes and a shrug.

There was a sudden high pitched sound of humming coming from Axe's back waist pouch.

The four Assassins paused.

_HMMMMMMM!_

"That thing is trying to get out," Green Coat said, instinctively and slowly moving up from his crouching, the back of his skull aching sharply as he eyed Axe's back pocket carefully.

_HMMmmmmmHMMMMMmmmm!_

A thought came to the youngest member of the group.

"Take it out," Arno said, motioning his torch to the man's pouch.

"Are you insane?!" Green Coat nearly shouted, eyes wide.

But Axe gave him a curious look.

"...what are you thinking of, lad?"

"The statue can't do anything without at least one eye in it's socket, correct?" Arno explained, as the humming sound continued, "Apart from burn our fingers if we touch it-"

"And move," Green Coat said with a sneer, holding his flaming torch out towards Axe's vibrating pocket, the pain in his head increasing.

"And **talk** ," Arno said, nodding to the sound, "Before it was humming and speaking in what we all agreed sounded like Latin-"

"Axe," Green Coat nearly shouted, teeth clenched, the grip around his flaming torch increasing as the buzzing sound continued, "tell this bat-shit Templar to shut up-!"

"Alight, I heard ya Green," Axe said, with a half attempted wave of a hand towards the irate Assassin as he reached back and pulled out the vibrating leather tube.

Suddenly, anger slivered up his spine. Where it came from Arno would not have known. But in that moment the chance to retaliate against his peer oddly seemed like a very good idea.

"You have a problem Green Coat, don't bottle it up, just come out with it."

_HMMMhmmmHMMMmmmMMM!_

"I'm not letting you put us in danger-" the Lock Smith sneered.

_HMMMmmmMMM!_

"You honestly think I'd do that?"

_HMMMhmmmHMMMmmmMMM!_

"Yes," Green Coat spat, eyes twitching to and from the shaking tube in Axe's palm as a vein in his forehead throbbed, "You switched so easy from one side to ours, but never told us why-"

"You never asked."

_HMMMhmmmHMMMmmmMMMHMMMMMMM!_

Green Coat pointed into Arno's face.

"That statue is not coming out of that tube, arse hole!"

"Too late," another voice said.

Both looked round to see Ice Cream holding the lion up to his ear.

"Ice..." Green Coat said, feeling like the man had betrayed him.

The other two looked at the Lock Picker who had a finger up in the odd silence, the lion statue ceasing its shaking.

"...no, I still hear a heart beat," Ice Cream said handing the lion statue to Axe.

Green Coat bent his spine back in a jerk, keeping any and all parts of his body away from the cursed artifact as the pain in his skull increased further.

Axe put the lion near to the side of his head, paused in consideration, before pressing it to his ear.

"So help me if it burns off ma' ear....hey-up, I can hear something-"

"What?" Green Coat said, that pressure building again inside his head, making him slightly dizzy for a moment, back of his skull throbbing.

"...Respice..."

"Respice?" the red head said with a frown.

"...in...oculis....mes...meis?" Axe said, before looking to Green Coat.

"Respice in oculis meis?"

"Aye."

Ice Cream drummed his fingers around the torch's wooden pole, licking his lips, eyes off to the side.

"Look-"

"-into my eyes," Green Coat finished the translation for him, eyes wide.

"Let's not do that," Axe said, taking the lion away from his ear and quickly wrapping the white cloth back over its head.

"Oh Gods, how can anyone not smell that?!" Ice Cream gasped, a hand to his nose again but it was too late and the man bent over to the side and hacked a cough.

Green Coat bit his lip at Ice Cream's behavior and threw a look at Arno, as if his peer was the once responsible for making Ice vomit and the pressure that was building rapidly inside his head.

"What if it's reacting to this skeleton...? " Arno said.

"Well, one way to find out," Axe said and stooped down.

Green Coat took a step away, blinking as his world blurred ever so slightly.

Axe placed the white cloth covered up lion onto the floor. No sooner had he then the carving began to vibrate rapidly, so much so that its white cloth covered body turned towards the skeleton and stopped. Axe crouched down, picked up the lion, turned it ninety degrees and placed it upon the cold moist floor of the passage again. Again, the lion began to vibrate, the sound echoing around the tunnel, turning around to face the skeleton and stopped.

"Magnetic?" Green Coat said with a frown, rubbing the back of his head with a hard palm when suddenly the pain and feeling of wanting to faint left him. He felt clear headed, the throbbing in his skull had vanished instantly and wondered what he did to warrant its release. Perhaps all he had was a trapped nerve in his neck?

"Possibly," Axe replied, scratching a bare forearm, "...Ice?"

The ginger looked at him and vacantly blinked before, with a gasp, his eyes suddenly rolled back into his head and Ice Cream's knees gave out.

"Woah!" Arno shouted and just about managed to grab Ice Cream's left arm, stopping him from hitting his head on the tunnel's stone surface as he crumpled.

Green Coat rushed forwards as the men crowded round the unconscious Assassin.

"Move, lad," Axe said, throwing his torch down to the side and taking Ice Cream from Arno's awkward catch. He knelt down and pulled the limp Lock Picker into his lap, so his head was cradled against a strong chest.

"Ice!" Green Coat called, gently shaking the man's shoulder in Axe's arms and pushing the tanned cowl back off of his face. "Ice, wake up. Ice!"

Axe grunted as he shifted some of his weight to the side, one arm around the ginger, and took out a small glass bottle from a pouch on his hip. He sunk his teeth into the cork at the top, yanked it out and spat it to the side. "Here," he said and wafted the small bottle under Ice's nose.

Arno sniffed as something strong hit his nose. Was that ammonia?

There was a long moan and Ice Cream turned his head away from the smelling salts, burying his face into Axe's waist coated chest, a hand limply trying to shove the salts away.

"Good, good," Axe said, waiting for the salts to do their job, before nodding at Green, "Move lad, get his legs."

The worried younger Assassin quickly followed commands and took both of Ice's legs in his hands. Soon Ice Cream was lying flat out on the wet floor with his knees bent upwards.

Arno walked over and picked up the cork and Ice Cream's fallen torch as he saw the lion statue was still silently standing motionless, facing the skeleton.

"What happened?" Ice Cream asked, turning his disorientated head from side to side, eyes still vacant and roaming, "Why am I on the floor?"

"You fainted," Axe said, nodding a thanks to Arno who handed him the cork top, "Warn us next time ya' fancy kissing the Earth."

Green Coat continued to squat on his heels, holding one of the man's hands. He gently rubbed the leather gloved material, searching those blue eyes he knew so well.

"I don't know what happened," the Lock Picker said, eyes now in focus, his other arm above his head, "I felt light headed and there was a...a sharp throb at the back of my skull all of a sudden. Like someone was pressing their thumb there. Odd..."

Green Coat stopped rubbing. He looked up from under his green hood, mouth slightly open. Wait...did Ice Cream have the same pain as he did? Or...did...did Ice Cream "take" the dizziness from him? But that was ludicrous, he couldn't have. You don't give someone disorientation. You can't catch it. Was it the smell? The faint trace of rotten eggs that they could all still smell...had it over powered the Assassin? He tried to stop himself from faintly shaking as a small pain began to pinch again at his neck.

"Search him," Axe said, motioning Arno and Green over to the dead Templar as he took charge of a confused Ice Cream.

Arno made a face and began the noble Assassin art of looting the dead. A packet of dusty playing cards, some un-smoked cigarettes, a frayed wallet with some cash still inside. His fingers brushed passed something limp.

"Here," Arno said and brought out a small piece of leather rolled up, "Looks like a letter."

Axe took it, turned it over with a quizzical look and handed it to Green Coat.

The young man cricked his neck before taking, or rather snatching, the item. He pulled the string off and read the content, ignoring the look from his ex-mentor at his brash behavior.

"...Latin...something about...Salmacis...diamonds..." Green Coat then scoffed with a dark chuckle adding, "Great. They bloody beat us to it."

"Come again?" Axe said from his crouching over Ice Cream.

Green Coat showed their leader the scrap of leather, pointing to the non Latin signature at the very bottom.

Axe squinted in the flickering torch light as he read.

"May the Father of Understandin-oh, for fuck's sake," Axe grumbled, thumping the side of his fist into the wall before scrunching his eyes shut and rubbing his face with one hand.

"Solves the riddle of who he is. Or was," a prone Ice Cream said rubbing the back of his own neck, as Axe threw the leather letter to the side.

"And if we were in any doubt," a crouching Arno added, holding up a dusty Templar pin he had found in the man's satchel bag.

"Templars are like flies over shite on this," the large man sighed, a dark shadow covering his face, taking the pin to scrutinize before chucking it back at the Ex-Templar.

"Unless they got a tip off...knew we had found the location of the fountain," Green Coat said cocking his head to look pointedly at Arno.

"And the dead Templar over there managed to get here years before us, did he?" Arno said pointedly back to Green Coat.

Green Coat pursed his lips with a trade mark scowl at being corrected.

"Have you forgotten that we're on a mission?" Arno began, meeting that tired out insinuation in his peer's mind that he was a secret spy, "For it seems like you have by using such dangerous language-"

"Arno," Ice Cream interrupted, still lying on the floor, eyes closed, "Do you recognize him?"

"...the pin is old," Arno said, glad the ginger had interrupted, blowing off the dust and rubbing a gloved thumb over the small cross shaped and red glass pin, "Only a few in the Order had crosses like this. He's Senior in rank...he was probably here with another."

"Another?" Axe said abruptly, taking his hand away from his face.

"Yes. Templars tend to work in pairs when exploring..."

Arno caught Green Coat's eye.

"...as far as I can **remember** -"

 "Can you hear that?" Ice Cream suddenly said.

The Assassins fell silent.

"Hear what?" Arno asked after a moment.

"That," Ice Cream said, tilting his head and listening, "...sounds like...wailing..."

"Wailing?" Green Coat said, turning his head to look in the direction his lover was staring.

"Oui," said Ice Cream, his left cheek pressing against the wet and cold stone floor as he looked down the dark tunnel, "Although...it could be from the air passing through the passage."

"Anyone else hear anything?" Axe asked.

The other two shook their heads.

"Me neither," the leader said, looking back down to Ice with an intense frown from brown eyes.

"I can hear something, Axe," Ice Cream stated with a frown, before coughing, "And I can still smell something horrific, too."

"Right, well, let's leave our unfortunate dead friend here and press on," Axe said, standing back up and gesturing to the skeleton, "As far as I'm concerned, and by Arno's suggestion, that bloke didn't come in here by 'imself. His buddy probably shot him and legged it."

"Templars don't shoot their own," Arno said, "...unless his partner compromised him."

"So where's his mate, hmm?" Axe asked with a raised eyebrow at the younger man.

"Beats me. Twas probably the one who sustained the injury."

Axe indicated to the skeleton with his flaming torch.

"Templars like to burn and claw their own eyes out, do they?" Axe asked with a sarcastic eyebrow raised.

"First I've heard of such a thing," Arno replied.

Green Coat squatted down, purposely not throwing in his own take on Arno's words and gently whispered to Ice Cream, "Are you sound enough to stand?"

"Oui," he said with a smile and took the hands that were offered.

Green Coat slowly pulled his lover up, watching as the ginger nodded that he was alright, swaying slightly on his feet.

Axe picked up the now quiet lion statue, chucked it back into the tube before moving over to the couple and nodded to Ice, "Stay close. You got the book?"

Ice Cream nodded.

Green Coat frowned with concentration, eyes going to and from the other men. What book? Was Axe talking about The Fountain of Salmacis book-?

"And you," Axe said pointing a thick finger at Green Coat, "Save your accusations for when we're out of this hell hole."

The Assassins moved off slowly again but one was slower than the rest, having caught what he thought was a hint of a smug smile from Arno.

Green Coat hung back, feeling frustration and shame mixing in his head at being reprimanded by their leader. How could Axe be so...trusting? Alright, so Arno had not turned on them. Yet. But that didn't mean anything. His own father showed someone could be an Assassin for years and then betray them. Green Coat wondered into his own memories. Of his father talking to shadows, of his mother yelling at him, telling him he was going insane and to think of his frightened son-

He felt something cold quickly whip pass the back of his neck.

Green Coat snapped his head around and saw a faint white mist glide innocently across the T junction they had just turned down. As it began to disappear, geometric shapes of gold appeared around the figure before fading from sight. He shook his head, the feeling of something, or someone, pressing into his psyche returning.

**Urgently.**

_HMMMmmmHMMM!_

"Bloody hell!" Axe nearly shouted as he twisted his body at his suddenly vibrating back pocket, not seeing Green Coat staring off in a trance into the distance back of the tunnel behind them.

**Needing him.**

_HMMMM! HMMM!_

"What's the devil is wrong with this thing?!"

**Move.**

_HMMMM! HMMMM!_

**Now.**

Without thinking, the twenty two year old growled, feeling like his body was not under his command and walked quickly back the way they had come. Green Coat uncharacteristically shoved his head round the corner, fear and anger reaching an agreeable crescendo as a cool part of his brain wondered what the hell he was doing.

A deserted tunnel of infinite darkness greeted him.

"Green, lad!"

Green Coat continued to stare down the tunnel, ignoring Axe, not hearing the dying humming sound. He quickly looked left and right for the figure that was calling him, his torch roaring with the movement. Someone was there. Someone was trying to get his attention, why couldn't he see them...?

He heard a sharp whistle and looked back to see the other three men staring his way, feeling like he had snapped out of trance.

"What is it?" Arno asked as Green Coat returned, scowling with hidden fright.

"I....thought I saw someone."

"Some... _one?_ " Axe said carefully.

"Yes...no...something," Green Coat growled, "But it was just nothing, we're not being followed. Forget it-"

"Green, ya' can't just go running off willy-nilly in 'ere, the kitty went hay-wire just now-"

"You saw something, didn't you?" Arno asked, cutting off Axe.

Green Coat pursed his lips with a deep frown, not sure why he had just done or said what he did. The feeling inside his head he knew. Twice he had felt it. Twice it had sent him into either a tirade of terror or the throws of pure ecstasy. Which both, ironically, ended up with him in the circle of Ice Cream's arms. The feeling of the wooden table he fainted into. The warm pulsation in the base of his skull that had raced down into his manhood while copulating with Ice Cream in the gardens...it seemed such a long time ago but each time he felt like he was being watched. And now, it was coming back-

"Was it gold and geometric?"

Green Coat snapped his head round at Arno.

"You what?"

"Because if it was," Arno said, "...then we're definitely in a Precursor Temple."

A shiver of fear quivered down Green Coat's spine but he didn't let it show. He had heard the stories of Altair and Ezio, even Master Connor. Each man entering tombs, places of the dead and coming face to face with visions that to this day the Creed still bickered over the details. Were these also visions he was seeing? Was...dare he think...his family ancestral connection to Consus responsible? Green Coat felt like he was going to be sick as he shook his head, drawing from his Assassin training to calm himself. What he saw and the feeling that was like a whisper inside his mind was gone now. No, he hadn't seen anything. Twas probably the condensation of water haze. Or the torches playing tricks on his eyes, it was dark in here after all. He willed himself to not feel that stabbing at the top of his neck starting up again.

"Like Ice said before," Green Coat grunted in finality, cricking his neck again at the pain, "...twas air. Whistling down the tunnel."

"If you're sure then let's keep moving," Axe muttered turning back to the path, "Sooner we get the diamond, the sooner we can leave."

"Wait," Green Coat said suddenly, "Did you say the lion was going hay-wire?"

"Aye, when you walked away it started humming again."

"...I didn't hear anything," Green Coat said bluntly.

"You didn't hear anything?" Arno asked.

"No."

Axe turned his body around to face the green Assassin. He gave both Arno and Ice Cream a suspicious look before casting it back at his ex-pupil.

"Lad, I swear to God Almighty, if you're pulling our legs-"

 ** _"Why the hell would I piss around?!"_** Green Coat aggressively yelled.

The Assassins were awkwardly silent as the young man's outburst echoed.

Axe looked from Assassin to Assassin again before turning on his heels and walking away.

"This place is doing our feckin' heads in."

Ice Cream slowly reached a hand out and reassuringly touched his agitated lover's arm-

Green Coat jerked away.

Ice Cream blinked in question.

Green Coat shook his head again and quickly took Ice Cream's hand in his, rubbing it with his own, embarrassed he had shouted and flinched. Again it was if something had taken over him for a moment. Like he was fighting against his own soul which was spitting mad. He agreed with their leader, he hated it here. But he didn't want to admit he was also deeply, deeply frightened. It was as if that feeling, the sense that someone was watching them, was waiting to break at any moment. He stared at the back of Arno's blue coat. Yes, be angry at the twat, it will distract you from your confusing fear and from the fact that your family could ever be involved with a being like Consus. Yes, he had seen his father talking to shadows and thin air, but he had been a very young child back then when he had witnessed such a thing. Was it even a clear memory of his father anyway?

A hot feeling of betrayal welled up inside his chest at the memory.

"Why did he have to join our team?" Green Coat quietly whispered towards Ice Cream as they continued to walk carefully down the cold and stone passageway, "We were fine until Axe, in his infinite wisdom, brought along a Templar. "

"Did you know Arno saved my life?" Ice said quietly, stopping on the spot to face his partner from under his almond colored cowl.

Green Coat stopped also, pausing.

"He did?"

"Oui, on the way to collect Francois... Blue Hat attacked us and Arno shot our monster through the cheek, disfiguring him. He saved my life. So why are you trying to start a fight?"

Green Coat bit his lip to stop an uncharacteristic retort, shaking his head with a jerk. Why the hell couldn't that pressure in his head go away?!

"...you've never openly picked a fight while on a group mission, Vincent. Never."

Green Coat cricked his neck sharply again at the mention of his real name, pretending him and Arno didn't get into a fight after watching King Louis returning to Paris. God, he wished this pain would go away.

"I'm not picking a fight. I just hate that son of a bitch."

Ice Cream smiled sadly.

"I'm frightened, too."

Green Coat connect his eyes with Ice Cream's soft ones before looking down at that hand. He brought it up to his mouth and kissed it, squeezing hard, needing that reassurance of safety he hated to admit. He couldn't hide his fear from Ice Cream.

"If you feel faint again, say. Promise?"

Ice Cream smiled and nodded.

"I promise. Is...your neck paining you?"

"Oui," Green Coat said before rubbing the back of his neck with a nervous hand, quickly adding a quick and tight reassuring smile, "Trapped nerve."

Suddenly that sliver of odd nervousness that he felt when he now looked at Ice Cream made itself known in his mind, joining in the pinching at the base of his skull. Green Coat suddenly wanted to laugh out loud. Why was he worrying about Ice Cream being vulnerable? If they were attacked, Ice Cream would probably smack the shit out of who ever it was. The second fellow that they had theorized was behind the shooting of the Templar...he wasn't currently in the tomb with them, that was years ago judging by the state of the skeleton.

Probably.

"Come on," Ice Cream said, mercifully letting go of his hand and continued further up the damp and cold passage after the other two.

_-to his great shock, Ice Cream jerked his head backwards before smashing their foreheads together._

Green Coat stopped and sucked in a quiet breath, feeling his forehead and skull smarting still as Ice Cream continued walking up ahead. Something was wrong with this place but he didn't know what. His own mind and actions were all over the place. One second he was angry, then confused, then frightened... Things that he believed he only thought he was saying out loud. And visa versa. To be honest, it felt like it he was loosing control of his body the further they entered into the tomb. He closed his eyes and let his Assassin training try and attempt to control his erratic behavior, ignoring the fact he still felt someone was watching them.

Green Coat blinked at the sudden defense of Arno from his partner. Arno had saved Ice Cream from Blue Hat? Then that meant...that meant Arno had triumphed where he had not.

Green Coat hung back even further from the group as something inside him broke, not noticing that they were, indeed, being followed.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Wings - Those of you who are wondering if this chapter was inspired by the Indiana Jones ride called Temple of the Forbidden Eye...you get a cookie, it totally was, I'm not even going to deny it. #best-ride-ever  
> Also, The Assassin's Creed Movie trailer is now out, yay! So excited! (Didn't think much of the music choice though :/ )
> 
> Moon - FYI will be updating any typos I see. THERE ARE A LOT OF 'EM HUSH.


	38. Chamber of the Lion's Eye

~

Coming to another bend, the group of Assassins turned and were met by a dead end. But as they neared it, what appeared as a dead end was, in fact, an open archway hidden in the darkness of the rock tunnel. Moisture in the air clung to their throats and lungs as they approached in the limited torch light. As the Assassins moved under the arch way, making sure it wasn't booby trapped, the four men entered into a large cavern with flaming torches held high.

The temperature drop was a shock and Arno sucked in a breath, breathing out clouds of mist as the friends explored further.

"Christ," Axe cursed under his breath, standing dumbstruck, "Well, would you look at that..."

"Incredible...," Ice Cream breathed, slowly taking a hand away from his mouth.

Green Coat followed in behind them and jerked his head to the side, a sharp crack of his neck making the other Assassins jump slightly, shooting him an annoyed frown.

"Sorry," the twenty-two year old mumbled, brown eyes blinking with a pained frown, rubbing the back of his neck as he held out his own torch into the darkness, feeling his damp shoulder length hair clinging to the sides of his face.

The cavern was near enough silent, the high pitched squeaks of bats and dripping water every now and again providing sound to an otherwise dead environment.

Arno moved carefully forward, squinting in the only light provided by his and his fellow Assassin's flaming torches.

In the center of the echoing cave was a black cylinder shaped structure standing oddly by itself, half sunk into the floor. As they walked in further to the cave, Arno could see a door way into this isolated tube building. The Assassins looked towards one another curiously from under their hoods, each on edge in this ancient place. They reached the isolated tower and Arno nodded to the door way which stood in front of them which also had a narrow stair case leading upwards in a spiral to their right, around the outside of the cylinder.

Axe nodded at Arno to investigate.

The Ex-Templar turned right and slowly walked up the black and grey stone narrow steps that lined the outside of the circular structure, steps poking out of the incredibly smooth wall like someone had shoved cocktail sticks into a thick pencil. Arno carefully lifted his feet, eager not to put a foot accidentally through a gap between the steps as he moved round and upwards. The young man held a hand out to the cold and almost steel feeling building. He stopped and leaned in, curiously inspected its surface. Deep lines cut into the stone looked more like metal pipes, as they veered up and off at odd right angles. The steps took him in a semi circle until he reached the outside roof of the structure. A thrill encased his body. This was First Civilization architecture, it had to be-

"ARNO! Get down here!"

Arno stopped on the stairs at Axe's call, just about nearing the top. He cast his torch up and around himself. Above where he was standing, the cavern space seemed to go up higher and higher, like a cathedral, with oddly shaped rocks around the circular rim, more metal pipes jutting out and into the cylinder. Large rocks jutted out at intervals and the boy wondered if there could be statues hiding in the dark up there. He held his torch as high up as he could and saw a thin stream of light was pouring in from the cave's high ceiling. Water was dripping frequently from it, too.

"Odd," Arno muttered under his breath as he turned back around and walked down the small semi circle staircase. He reached the bottom and saw flickering yellow lights coming from the door into the circular room. Arno ducked under the doorway and looked up, seeing small grooves around the edges, where a stone or metal door might come down from. He moved ahead into the room cautiously, his torch burning low now as more water from the doorway fell upon it with small hissing splashes. Arno walked cautiously into the damp smelling space, his heavy equipment and coat swaying in time to his movements, with his steps being the only audible sounds as he gazed, open mouthed and wide eyed at what he found inside.

The space inside the cylinder was large and a near enough a perfect circle. The ceilings were high, made out of stone, yellow and white, flecked with freckles of red, which was impossibly smooth. A small and square metal grating was positioned dead center in the circular ceiling, and looked very out of place. Moss and other plant lift hung from the metal bars, nourished by the dripping water from the cave's roof. At the far end of the empty room, behind an square alter, peeking out of the darkness, was a floor to ceiling statue of-

"...Salmacis..." Ice Cream breathed in wonder, walking forwards, mouth open and torch up high.

Green Coat too stared, completely entranced by the gigantic marble statue of a beautiful women, holding a large vase on one shoulder, a bare breast showing out of her toga top, that was flowing in intricate folds of sculpted material. Her feet were bare and her eyes were closed, head dully pointing down towards her feet.

Arno walked further into the dark room, seeing glimmers of colourful motifs on the walls of people, animals and various daily life scenes.

"So that's why this room is standin' on its own in the middle of the blimmin' cavern...," Axe said to himself, "It's a shrine for the lass."

"Her followers must have used this area to congregate," Arno offered, still trying to work out what was depicted on the walls.

"That must be how the Templars got in," Ice Cream said, turning to look at the open doorway they came in, "If this is a worship site, the cavern must open up to the surface further along. My God," he continued, blue eyes wide at the statue, "...this place is over a thousand years old!"

"Aye, I'm willin' to bet that's how Frederic got in 'ere," Axe said, with a small smile in response to Ice Cream's continued amazement.

The Assassins were quiet as they inspected the room further. Interestingly there were not any ornaments, no vases, or candle stands...no material items. Just the alter and statue. Perhaps grave robbers had cleaned it out already? The young blue coated man looked up at the walls, holding his torch out. The detail was incredible. Like the artist had only yesterday painted these images. Arno leaned in closer to one panel of what looked like Salmacis, a young girl in a long white robe, voyeuristicly watching a young man entering a pool of water from behind a bush. Arno frowned. There wasn't any sign of deterioration on the walls what so ever.

"Wait...," Arno said, frowning slightly as a chill moved up his spine, "...something's not right..."

"What?" Green Coat grunted from the other side of the chamber, annoyed at being distracted from his wanderlust.

Arno frowned, turning to the others.

"Has anyone else noticed this room is a bit too...new?"

The Assassins paused, looking at each other before back at the gleaming walls in the semi darkness.

"I'll agree with you, Arno," Ice Cream said from where he was standing at the base of the huge and towering statue, "The water damage, and general deterioration in here, is indeed minimal."

"Perhaps there are still worshipers who keep this place in tip top shape? Them scorch marks look old, though," Axe noticed, pointing his torch at the large and sporadically placed patches of exploded black dust on one of the walls directly facing the colossus statue.

"What do you think caused those?" Arno asked, noticing Ice Cream walking around the room again, admiring the art on the walls. He turned his attention back to what looked like scorch marks that seemed very out of place.

"I hate to imagine," Axe said, "But you're right, somethin' is not sitting right with me in here. Come on, gentlemen, let's get the item and leave pronto."

"That smell...," Ice Cream said, with a couple of sniffs and a squint upwards, "...it's...what the hell, it's coming from the statue."

Arno saw Ice Cream jog up the small steps in front of the alter and approach the statue's base. He swung his tanned hooded head too and fro in searching, before dipping his fingers into a long and thin stone trough that was positioned directly in front of the stone effigy. The ginger brought his fingers to the tip of his tongue, tasted the liquid, before spitting it out loudly.

"Ice Cream?" Arno asked, walking forwards and up the steps, seeing Ice Cream look to the circular walls surrounding them.

"Arno," Ice Cream said with a hand out, "give me your torch. I think I might be able to shed some literal light."

"...you sure it's not a trap?" Axe asked coming over also.

Ice Cream turned around in a half a circle, eyes wide with excitement before he took Arno's offered torch.

"What are you thinking of, lad?"

Ice Cream paused, before slowly lowering his torch to the liquid.

Suddenly the base of the statue lit up in brilliant flames, making Arno take a step back. The fire ran around the feet of the statue and sped up to a line of fire, small grooves at the base of each wall erupted into flames and the chamber was basked in brilliant orange, fire tracing those oddly angled black lines he had seen before. Arno marveled as they were encased by a large ring of welcoming firelight.

"Holy shite," Axe said, mouth open as he looked around at the small channels of liquid where the fire lit up the room, "How'd you do that?"

"Methane," Ice Cream said, making a cringing face, "...that's all it was. I should have known from the rotten egg smell. Some ancient cultures used liquid methane, or some other combustion-like liquid, to light large spaces."

Green Coat kept oddly silent, standing by himself, as the Assassins began investigating the decorative room now that they could see clearly, each ditching their torches. He noticed none were looking at him. As if the three men had forgotten about him-

_Like they didn't care._

_Have never cared about you_ -

Green Coat shook his head. Where the hell did that thought come from? He gripped his flaming torch harder in one hand, not moving from the spot. He wanted to run. To leave. He didn't want to believe what his gut was telling him. The room hated him. Hated everything about him. Green Coat blinked. No, what the hell, where did that thought come from too-

**Greetings, Vincent.**

Green Coat spun on the spot, swearing the voice had come from directly behind him.

"W-who's there...?" Green Coat said into the door way but his body was trembling so much it came out in a breathless whisper. He swallowed, his skull hurting more and more as time went on. He grimaced at the pain, holding his other hand to the back of his neck, kneading the flesh there to help ease. No, you heard nothing, his brain said. Nothing at all. Green Coat continued rubbing a hand to the back of his neck as the pinching in his skull throbbed in time to his heartbeat. He heard a small laugh and looked over at his lover, seeing Arno and Axe with him. He suddenly felt something slam into his back. A disembodied and deep seated hatred seeped into his being as he stared and Green Coat's vision burst into stars, fully blinding him.

~

Ice Cream put a hand up and ran his hand across the colourful images on the walls, now fully illuminated.

"You know what this is?" Arno asked, pointing to a man hunting a deer.

"It's a story,"  Ice Cream said as Arno followed him, "It tells the story of Hermaphroditus. One day he was thirsty from hunting and drank from a pool of water," Ice Cream pointed to the corresponding panel, "The water naiad that lived there, Salmacis-"

"Tried to woo him, but it was unsuccessful, I do listen Ice Cream," Arno said with a smirk. "She then took over his body."

"Good to know you listen to me, Arno," the Lock Picker teased, "But that's how, according to the myth, he became intersex."

Arno frowned from under his hood.

"Inter...what?"

"Intersex," Ice Cream said, looking back at the images of a beautiful Salmacis and a handsome Hermaphroditus wrapped up in each others arms, "Both male and female. Although the term "Hermaphrodite" is miss leading. One is either one or the other or.... a certain percentage more male than female. Or visa versa."

Suddenly Axe's voice reverberated around in Arno's head.

_"Did he say anything about being different from other men?" Axe asked, with a cough, seemingly oblivious to their mini stalkers._

_"Different?" Arno frowned._

_Axe made a face of understanding with a muffled, "Ah, he's not told ya-"_

_"Told me what? What do you mean he's different?"_

_Axe squinted in the setting sunlight._

_"He's different enough to attract unwanted attention."_

_"Why, he's not a woman, is he?" Arno snorted with a laugh-_

Arno paused, looking up at the painted reliefs in a new light, an idea coming to him.

"You seem to know a lot about this, Ice Cream?"

Arno didn't miss the way Axe turned his attention towards them.

"I like to learn," Ice Cream smiled over his shoulder at him, reaching under the side of his tanned cowl and scratching at a copper side burn.

Arno nodded and watched as the man looked around in wonder at the next panel, "Look, here he is joining with Salmacis."

"Aye, I bet that wasn't a red letter day for 'im," the Axe holding Assassin jested, coming up to join them.

The ex-Templar looked over and saw Green Coat stiffly leaning forwards at another relief, apparently studying the markings there, the back of his emerald colored hood not moving from staring at the wall.

After another twenty minutes of scanning the pictures, each showing a beautiful woman either sleeping on a rock, or searching well painted forests, they drew a blank. Where was the diamond? As amazing as the paintings and the statue were...there was nothing to indicate the location of the lion's second eye. They even looked for any hint of a big cat image but there was nothing.

"So now where?" Arno asked, his shoulders stiff, the burning smell from the firelight in the room starting to suffocate him.

"Beats me," Axe said, as he wondered aimlessly, "I would say to scale the statue but, Ice, throw us that book."

Ice Cream took out a small blue and purple book from his coat and threw it over to Axe.

The axe carrying Assassin caught it and opened the tome, quickly flicking through the pages.

"Be better if it was all in feckin' Chinese for all I can read," the bearded man said with a grunt before jerking his head at the book, "Green, do us a favor and get over here-"

"There," Green Coat said suddenly in an oddly deeper voice than usual and pointed with a shaking finger, his head hanging down from his shoulders.

The Assassins looked to where he was indicating. There was a small section of rectangular stone, hidden in the shadows, at the base of the figure that didn't fit in with the rest of the Salmacis statue. Ice Cream looked at the others and quickly ran up the alter steps to the discolored stone.

"Lad-" Axe warned, putting the book inside his leather waist coat.

"I know, I'll check," the ginger said, squatting down, his gloved fingers feeling the edges of the stone for traps. After a few seconds of probing he felt a latch and looked to the others.

"Heads up."

And pulled.

A small section of the alter behind him fell away, the stone panel falling onto the floor in a crunch, to reveal-

"Diamonds!" Arno smiled before his face fell at what he saw. Inside the dark and hollow stone alter were six circular seats where five identical looking diamonds sat. "Damn it, which one is it?"

"Ancient bastards," Axe said as he came over, shoving a flaming torch near them.

"Careful," Ice Cream said, taking Axe's arm and pulling the torch away, "These could be the same ones that react to fire."

"Ah," Axe said with a nod, backing off, "Good call."

"I hate to admit," Arno began, "but cheers Green Coat, how did you know where to look?"

Arno looked behind him to see their missing Assassin standing on the spot, having not heard him, scratching at the bandage on his forehead harshly with one hand.

"Green Coat?"

Green Coat shook his head quickly, face still hidden in his cowl and pointing at the floor, continuing to scratch frantically.

Arno made a face. He knew what caused frantic scratching to an itching head of hair like that.

Green Coat had gotten head lice.

"Lightning trap," the ginger gasped.

"A trap?" Arno asked, snapping his attention back to the other Assassins and at a concerned looking Ice Cream, the Lock Picker's eyes flickering from Green to Arno, noticing the scratching. "How do you know?"

"...the light above...with the diamonds. Look," Ice Cream said, pointing, suddenly, "...if you focus enough energy, as in the light from the ceiling through the grating, into a set of diamonds like these and....it will concentrate the beam so much that it'll burn through anything."

Arno and Axe followed his line of sight and saw him staring directly at the black powered impacts.

"Shoving a beam of light through diamonds will do that?" Arno asked with a raised eyebrow.

"In theory. Like a cruel child burning ants with a magnifying glass."

"So why isn't it being set off now with all this fire around us?" Arno frowned.

"The vines, son," Axe said, nodding to the plant life, "Must be stiflin' the sunlight."

"Agreed, the fire light in this room must be too scattered to set the diamonds off too," Ice Cream said before answering a curious look from the other too, "I think."

"A beam of light..." Arno said thoughtfully, looking up, "Then those scorch marks behind us?"

"God damn bolts of lightning," Axe said to himself, shaking his shoulders out with a sudden shudder, "Now I really feckin' hate this place-"

There was a loud snort from behind them as if Green Coat had abruptly woken up from a deep sleep.

"W-w....what just happened? Where am I?"

The men looked over at a confused and blinking young man.

"What?" Arno asked.

"I blacked out," Green Coat stated, eyes darting around the room like he was seeing it for the first time, "Where are we? What's going on?"

"Where are we?" Axe nearly laughed, "Son, I don't know what's gotten into you but..."

Axe let the sentence fall away as he watched Ice Cream quickly jump down from the alter steps and jog over to his partner by the open door.

"Wait, what do you mean you blacked out?"

Green Coat looked stupefied at the question.

"I walked in here. It was dark...we had torches...the room lit up and...then you lot," he said waving a gloved finger at them, "...are suddenly standing by the alter. How did you know where to find the diamond?"

Ice Cream's eyes widened in confusion. He turned to Axe.

"Axe...?"

The leader of the group walked down from the alters steps too and over to the couple.

"Green, you told us where to find the diamonds," Axe said slowly and seriously to his former pupil.

"Diamonds? What, I didn't say-"

"The diamonds, lad. You just upped and pointed at where they are."

"No, I didn't," Green Coat said, with a worried laugh, eyes darting to each Assassin. "Wait, diamond.. **S**? I thought we were only after one."

The three other Assassins looked at each other.

"I'm telling the truth, why would I lie?!"

"Green Coat," Arno said, coming over to the group also, "You told us "There". Those were your exact words just a second ago. You even pointed before scratching your head like a flea bitten dog."

Green Coat began to shiver slightly under the testing stares of his fellow Assassins.

"I swear on my life, I said and did no such thing. I walked in here, there was a pain in my neck," he explained with his hands, voice shaking, " I-I though I heard someone talking to me-"

"Talking to you?" Ice Cream asked worrying his brow.

Green Coat nodded, quickly looking behind him to make sure no ghost was present as a dark shadow fell over the eldest Assassin's face.

"Green..."

The young man turned his head back to face Axe.

"Was the voice you heard your own but breathless?"

Green Coat nodded nervously at Axe's question.

"Son of a bitch," Axe said under his breath with wide eyes, "...and here I was thinkin' ya father hadn't passed him on to ya'-"

 **"What?!"** Green Coat shouted with alarm.

"We need to leave right now, lads!" Axe shouted as he thundered over to the alter at break neck speed.

 "I agree, gentlemen, but we must work out which diamond is the real one," Arno said also, not fully understanding their leader's words, running after Axe, "Other wise this was all for nothing!"

"W-what's going on?!" Green Coat said with blind panic to an equally confused Ice Cream, "What did I do? What's this about my father?!"

"Ya' heard Consus, lad!" the Axe man shouted as he barreled up to the alter, taking two steps at a time, "Ice, bind him!"

"What!?" the ginger shouted with equal panic and confusion.

"That's an order, Ice Cream!"

Green Coat began to breath heavily at the mention of Consus, the Erudite God. The color drained from his face as Ice Cream came up to him and began to bind his wrists together with a short piece of rope. Green Coat was so stunned by what was happening, he didn't even try to struggle.

"Axe, what the hell are you doing?! What do you mean Consus?! Why did I black out?! Why are you having me tied up?!"

"Not now, son, just keep calm," the bearded man shouted, eyes going to each diamond while rubbing his chin, "Ice, you keep an eye on him."

Arno looked back to the couple. Green Coat looked like he was about to have a heart attack, with Ice Cream not far behind. But there was no getting out of it, they had to find the correct diamond before escaping. Fast. If Axe's alarmed state was anything to go by. He had heard of the being Consus when he was training as a Templar, but it was the first time he had heard their group discuss it. Until he remembered his peer being referred to as "that laugh-a-minute bastard" being a descendant of an Italian Assassin who was directly connected to Consus. Arno looked back into the small space where the diamonds sat innocently. Time to pick.

"Which one, which one, which bloody one...," Axe said in a mantra, wiping sweat off of his brow, before he breathed in sharply and reached into his back pocket with a quiet "sod it all to hell".

Arno eyed the larger man's actions as Axe, with shaking hands, fumbled with opening the leather tube, popped it open and the carved beast, head still covered up in that white cloth, slid out into a waiting palm.

"Lad, tell me what you see behind each diamond."

Arno blinked with curiosity and leaned in further to the compartment. Behind each diamond, on its own small stand, was a thin line of metal which connected the base of each seat to a copper latch at the back, hidden in dust and shadows. Except for the empty seat and one, that held a diamond, next to it, each jewel upon it's throne had a triggering fishing line to this lever.

It was, indeed, a trap.

"I can see metal strings and a leaver."

"Ancient mouse trap," Axe said, before hefting the lion in his palm, "I reckon, you take one of the others out, it snaps the metal fishing line, lever goes down...and something very nasty happens. Like soddin' bolts of lighting shooting up ya' ass."

"Let's take the one where the metal trap isn't connected."

"Too easy."

"You reckon asking the lion will work, instead?" Arno said nodding to the artifact in the man's hand.

"Worth a shot," Axe said, "Here goes nothing," and he put the cloth covered lion down onto the floor in front of the diamonds.

The blinded creature was silent.

Arno held his breath, not really knowing if this would work. Until very slowly it began to hum. To the surprise of the two Assassins, the sound increased until the statue began to vibrate, turning its body to the second diamond from the left and stopped.

Arno shook his head, not believing the burning lion statue seemed like it was helping them. Well, he reminded himself, it _did_ want its eye back after all. He gave Axe a meaningful look and stretched out his hand. He felt his heartbeat quickening, his hands sweating inside of his gloves. Arno frowned with intensity. Slowly he curled his fingers around the diamond, the one that was connected to the trap lines at the back of the compartment, and with a gulp, pulled. The stone came away surprisingly easy from its mini pedestal, dust falling off the top of it smooth glass like surface.

Both men waited for the theoretical bolts of lightning up their ass or a clink of a metal mouse trap.

But nothing happened.

Both Assassins breathed a sigh of relief.

"Right, lad," Axe said with an exhausted smile of determination, "now let's get the hell out of here-"

"Wait," Arno said, a hand up to halt proceedings as he stared at the beautiful clear diamond in his hand, "What if it's fake?"

"Fake?"

"You saw that skeleton on the way in here, I'm willing to bet there are more in the tunnels...people have been trying to get these diamonds for ages. What if-"

"One got in 'ere and took the real one?" Axe finished with a look of angry realization, "Replacing it with an imitation?"

Arno nodded his head sideways.

"He was shot by his partner, remember."

Axe considered the lion carving in his fist.

"To fool even the kitty?" Axe asked, not convinced. "It's a pretty damn and fine fake if it is."

Arno tilted the jewel from side to side, watching as blue flecks of light sparkled within.

"There is a way to test it-"

"You want to put the diamond _in_ its eye?!" Green Coat suddenly shouted from behind them, incredulous, jerking his rope bound hands at them both as he stormed up the alter steps to Arno and Axe with Ice Cream trying to calm him.

"Why not?"

"Are you insane?!" Green Coat roared with fright at his peer, "It could do anything! You have no idea! And I demand that you have me untied!"

"The other diamond did nothing when inserted," Arno argued, turning to Axe, "Only when you added the candle light, correct?"

"Arno's right," Ice Cream said from the side of Green Coat, "Yes, the statue can burn even without the jewel, but nothing else."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this," Green said, throwing an accusing looking directly at Ice Cream before rounding on Axe. "Axe?!"

The large Assassin tilted his head, wiping his mouth with the back of his non gloved hand.

"I'm uneasy about it, I'll admit, but we **need** to be sure-"

"Uneasy?!" Green Coat nearly shrieked, eyes wild, "That rock can burn at will, it can cause lights in the sky to form, it can move and I swear the blasted thing is trying to posses me-!"

"Possess?"

"Why do you think my hands are bound, huh?!" Green Coat shouted loudly, shaking his wrists at the other twenty-two year old that Arno couldn't tell was out of anger or fear.

"The lad has a point, Green," Axe said, "As much as I hate it, the unfortunate soul back there proves that this chamber has been broken into before. We just ambled in-"

"So what killed him, huh? How do we know for sure that Templar's partner indeed shot him and it wasn't something else in this God forsaken place?! What about his eyes?!" Green Coat shrieked, eyes bulging, "How do we know the same thing isn't going to come for **us**? That this place isn't full of poisonous gas or eye gouging monsters?"

"Green Coat, calm down," Ice Cream tried to sooth, but the younger man ignored him.

"Let's take a vote," Arno said firmly, frowning at Green Coat completely loosing his rag. He thought Assassins were more composed with their emotions, "All those in favor of _not_ putting the diamond in the eye, say aye."

"Aye," Green Coat said with a sneer before looking next to him at Ice Cream. The young Assassin frowned as his lover nervously looked away, keeping silent.

"Ice Cream?"

"All those in favor of trying it out, say aye," Arno then said.

"Aye," Axe said.

"Aye," the Ex-Templar added.

"...aye," Ice Cream said quietly.

The Lock Picker avoided eye contact with the Lock Smith.

"Ice Cream, do you know what you're saying?!" Green Coat asked, ashen faced. If there was one person he could depend on backing him up was his lover. But apparently not.

"So it's settled," Arno said loudly.

 **"Jesus Christ,** **are you trying to kill us?!** " Green Coat shouted at Arno, jerking forwards before Ice Cream grabbed the aggressive Assassin by the shoulder, pulling him away from Arno.

"Green," Ice Cream tried soothing once more, "you need to keep calm-"

**_"I AM FUCKING CALM!-"_ **

"Mate, there are no other diamonds in its eye!" Arno shouted back, trying to make the man see sense, "Just this one. What happened last time? Aurora Borealis. It was natural. That's it."

"Don't you try to fob me off and I am not your mate," Green Coat spat, "There was nothing natural about that night!" he continued to roar, the memory of seeing the skylights on top of the roof with Ice Cream. Of being in the garden with his lover and having the exact same pain turning into pleasure in his skull during sex. And the pain was beginning to build once more.

"And Camille had her baby," Ice Cream added, still not looking at Green Coat.

"Well, good thing none of us are pregnant then, isn't it? " Arno joked with a sarcastic twang.

Axe coughed, casting his eyes over to the lithe Assassin who kept silent, not making eye contact.

Ice Cream suddenly grabbed his partner's upper arm tightly with one arm.

Green Coat scowled but didn't pull away as he opened his mouth, turning his head to his partner.

"You're making a mistake, Ice. Nothing good will happen by putting the eye in now-"

"And nothing bad," Arno added. It was a gamble and the Ex-Templar honestly didn't know if what they were about to attempt would bring the tomb's roof down upon them. But his gut told him they had to put the eye in. And his gut was never wrong.

"You're all having me on. I swear the air in this tomb is muddling your stupid heads," Green Coat grumbled, aiming to next jerk away from his lover but feeling the pressure of the man's hands on his upper arm was comforting, taking the edge off of his anger at his migraine headache ever so slightly.

"Lad, you've been out voted," Axe said, in a deadly stern voice, "And I ordered ya' to keep calm, so either you shut ya' face or I'll shut it for you. I will demote you again if ya' carry on, so help me."

Axe didn't see the look Green Coat gave him.

"Alright, here goes nothing," Arno said as he took the cloth off of the lion's face and handed it to Axe.

"Get behind me," Green Coat ordered over his shoulder at Ice Cream, moving his body protectively in front of the taller Assassin, forcing them both to take a couple of steps backwards.

Axe breathed in long and gently placed the diamond into one of the lion's eyes with a small clink.

Silence.

The four men looked around at the flames licking up the painted walls.

"Alright," Axe said with a cough, "...moment of truth...match please, lad."

Arno took out a match box from his coat pocket and struck one against the box's rough side.

Axe took the match and held it directly behind the diamond's eye, pointing the beast's face at a vacant wall, away from where the men were standing.

More silence.

Green Coat's fingers flexed in his binding, noticing that his partner had not tied him up that tightly. He looked around the room as Ice Cream nervously did the same, feeling the ginger's body shaking against his back. This place was effecting them all. He couldn't remember the last time he trembled while out on a mission. What had gotten into him? Since when did he openly bawl and shout at Axe? When did he let his temper out at Ice Cream? He looked behind him and saw out of the corner of his eye in Ice Cream's red sash, the small yellow daffodil he had given him, the sight making warmth bloom inside his chest. Blinking away fright and welcoming nervous clarity, Green Coat gently raised his bound wrists and pressed them warmly against Ice Cream's fingers on his upper arm, hoping the Assassin would understand the duel apology and need for reassurance.

Arno cast his gaze at the beast, its face still the same impassive look as before, daring it to snarl.

The light behind the Lion's eye flickered and swirled in time to the matches small flame but nothing else. No colors, no beams of light. Not even humming. Nothing.

After a few incredibly tense seconds the elder Assassin swore.

"Shite," Axe sighed and yanked the diamond out of the lion's eyes, blowing the match out, "Fake. Templars must have gotten the real one."

All the Assassins let out breaths and curses.

"Why would the lion point us to it if it was fake?" Ice Cream asked looking highly disappointed and confused, "Should we try the others?"

Arno looked at the quiet lion.

"No, the lion pointed at that one for a reason. But what that reason is, it's keeping secret."

"Then let's get out of here, and deal with it back at the tavern," Green Coat growled, cricking his neck that was starting to become incredibly painful. "My head feels like it's going to explode."

"I concur," Arno said looking at Axe and taking the carving in hand, starting to wrap the white cloth around it's head.

"Well, if it turns out this is a fake, at least we can get a few bob for it," Axe said, inspecting the diamond between his thick fingers before tossing it up into the air in one flick of a wrist.

Arno watched as it sailed up and into the air.

He paused.

 The Salmacis statue was staring at them.

"Forgive me, gentlemen...," Arno said turning around and pointing behind him, "...but didn't she have her eyes _shut_ when we first came in?"

The Assassins all looked up.

And Salmacis's gold and hungry eyes smiled back.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: 
> 
> Wing- Dun, dun, duuuun. *dramatic pose* What's this? Two chapters in two days? :O Heaven forbid! (Actually this and the last chapter were originally one, I decided to separated them as it was getting ridiculously long for one chapter.)
> 
> British English  
> a few bob = a small body of cash  
> fob off = telling someone to go away/ dismissing someone with a poor excuse  
> having me on = pranking


	39. The Salmacis Trap

 

 ~

The four men looked up cautiously at the quietly standing stone statue of Salmacis. Its piercing large and yellow eyes were wide open, boring through their souls in fierce accusation. The Assassins were silent. Each wondering if the golden eyes were already open when they had first entered the cylinder tomb. The men concluded silently between themselves. Assassins, after all, were known for their attention to detail. A change in direction of their target, a slip of a tonic in a drink, even down to the best sort of fabric laced with lambs blood that would fool a guard into thinking he had been stabbed. And the Assassins all knew the truth. The statue had not been staring prior.

"...we set off a trap?" Arno asked, not daring to move, flicking his eyes towards the exit after no one offered to speak.

The Assassins were deathly quiet, listening to any sounds to indicate a mechanism working or a thud of a counter weight setting off a pressure trap.

But there was nothing save for the small crackles of fire light illuminating the painted walls.

"If it's all the same to you, Gents, I for one ain't staying to find out," Axe said jerking his head to the open doorway, still staring up at the idol, "Let's get our arses out of here. We got what we came for. We move. Single file. Slowly."

Arno watched as Axe quickly slipped the diamond into an inner waist coat pocket and wrapped the silent lion up in the white cloth, not missing how the man's large hands were shaking as he undid the latch and slipped the carving into its leather tube, fastening it to a thick trouser belt. The curses under the man's breath betrayed his fear and Arno, at that moment, realized the gravity of the situation.

"...no, wait, we've missed something," Ice Cream said suddenly from the side, head turning to the painted walls of the cylinder, yanking the tanned cowl off of his head.

Arno felt the hairs on his arms suddenly standing up on end with a zap of static, as he saw, a shudder crawling over his skin, Ice Cream tearing round the room, scanning each panel, seemingly searching for something.

"Ice, stop moving!"

Arno's shout fell on deaf ears as Ice Cream quickly moved over to a bright panel, apparently oblivious to the unknown threat around them, showing a besotted Salmacis and a terrified Hermaphroditus thrashing in the waters.

"Stop, man, you might set a trap off-!"

"AHHH!"

Ice Cream suddenly lurched forwards with a cry, crashing into the wall he was looking at. He fell to his knees with one arm around his waist and the other slamming onto the artwork to stop his head from colliding with hard stone.

"Ice!" Arno shouted and made to back track the way he came but Green Coat dashed across the room at great speed and reached the downed Assassin first.

The young lover gently pushed Ice Cream's hands off of his stomach as the tall ginger protested with clenched teeth and eyes, breathing heavily, curled up in a ball. Ice Cream ground out a choice selection of curses as he pressed his forehead to his clenched fist against the side of the wall.

"Ah-ah-ah!"

"What?!" Green Coat blurted, crouching down to offer assistance, trying to ignore the thumping pain in the back of his skull or the change of air, "W-what is it?! What's the matter?!"

"Oh....oww....," the ginger continued to breathe, pressing a hand down onto Green's own bound hands that were resting on his stomach. Ice Cream swallowed feeling like he was about to vomit. Opening his eyes slowly and getting a hold of himself, the Assassin looked at his lover's bound wrists pressing against his suddenly non painful stomach as the large shadow of Axe approached. The ginger Lock Picker took a moment and let his back collapse into the wall with a painful sigh, sliding down the short distance to the floor. "O-oui, I'm fine...had pain...it's," Ice Cream grimaced between breaths, looking surprised and confused, "...ooh, it's gone."

Green Coat looked down at his partner's body, scanning for any sign of an entry wound. Sod's law this room had rigged up cross-bows in the rafters.

"...felt like...it felt like someone had shoved me into the wall...I know it sounds ridiculous, but..." the ginger said rubbing his abdomen, "I got the impression in my gut that I was being stabbed, but...then was pushed away from the pain and onto the floor."

"Does it hurt now?" Green Coat asked with worry, trying to ignore how he had himself felt something earlier slam into his back.

Ice Cream shook his head quickly.

"...was it as if...," Arno began, having a very uncomfortable flashback to the time Green Coat was slammed into that terracotta chimney pot by an unseen force, "Like someone had just body slammed you?"

Ice Cream and Green Coat turned their heads towards Arno.

"Oui, it was."

 "Ya alright ya' daft fool?" Axe said quickly under his cowl, walking the same path across the floor as the others had, before he saw Ice Cream's confused eyes dart from the statue to the walls again, "Hold up, lad, what do you mean we've missed something?"

Green Coat felt something pushing insistently against his psyche. He shook his head, but couldn't dispel it. He rubbed his bare palms against Ice's coated stomach as best he could from the odd position the binding was letting him as Ice Cream placed both his own hands on them, rubbing the skin on the backs of Green Coat's hands to reassure.

The twenty two year old frowned from under his inky hair. Strange, his own palms were heating up rapidly. Green Coat left his hot hands on Ice Cream's stomach but soon the warmth from his palms turned into painful heat.

"Ice?" Axe repeated.

"It's nothing...made a mistake...I'm rambling...," Ice said after a pause of looking up at the wall he was resting against, squeezing his eyes shut with a "ooh" and shifted his weight to stand once more. "Let's get out of here."

Green Coat fully withdrew his own searingly hot and sweaty bound hands and helped his lover to stand on weak legs, supporting an upper arm as the Assassin stood-

 A ghostly high pitched howl came from outside the cylinder room, echoing in the cavern outside.

The Assassins froze. The unholy scream chilling their bones right to the core.

Green was the first to begin to shake as he looked around, his eyes wide in fear, seeing Axe staring at the exit with a petrified Ice Cream. Green Coat tried to ignore how static began to build upon his emerald coat.

"...it's the same as before," Ice Cream said in a quick whisper, swallowing and seeking confirmation from the others as the shrill scream echoed again.

Green Coat shared a terror filled look with Axe who nodded along side a horrified Arno, when another, sharper, ethereal wail sounded nearer.

Much nearer.

The four men snapped their heads to directly above as the scream grew louder and louder. What ever was making it was scratched at the outside of the cylinder walls, like a cat scrabbling frantically to get up a metal fence. And it was heading straight for the over head grating.

 Arno jerked back, seeing the eyes of the idol starting to glow. He quickly cast his eyes to powder burns on the walls opposite and above the door and finally knew what had caused them as the static in the room grew larger. Arno looked back up to the statue as the eyes were now white hot, small sparks erupting from the edges of its eyes.

Lightning.

"Shit, MOVE!"

The youngest members shot out of the doorway first followed by Ice Cream bolting towards them with the larger Assassin at the back-

A bolt of lightning shot out of the idol's eyes and hit Axe directly in the back.

"ARGH!"

The large man hit the floor with a earth shattering crash of belts, heavy limbs meeting the floor as his large axe glowed hot, fizzling and crackling.

"AXE!" Ice Cream screamed and turned back.

"ICE!" Green Coat shouted and ran back inside too-

**CRUNCH-CRUNCH-SNAP-THUD!**

All but Axe turned to see the sparks from the statue's eyes stop, as its eye lids suddenly slammed shut. None knew what to do next. Was the trap going to fire again? Had it, they dared to hope, malfunctioned? Suddenly that demonic scream was dying away. Fading like the voice was drifting away down the cavern and into the tunnels. It wasn't long that the second eldest man took action.

"Axe? Axe!" Ice Cream called from his position protecting the Assassin from any more bolts of lightning, shaking the man by the shoulders, crouched over their fallen and non moving leader. The head of the French Assassins groaned, his bearded face pressed flat to the unforgiving floor, body lying on his right arm in an awkward sprawl. "Speak to us, are you hurt?"

"Gah, feckin hell," came the groan as the three men gently pulled and pushed the heavy man over onto his side. A faint trace of heavily acidic smelling smoke was erupting from his brown waist coated uniform, as Axe winced, flexing his hands and arms in pain as best he could as he was turned-

"Ah!" Green Coat yelled, jerking his bound hands away, as a blue spark of static shot out of the edge of the axe's chard blade where he had accidentally touched it.

Silence reigned until there was a swallowed bark of a laugh from Green Coat.

"Fucking mechanics," his strangled voice managed to get out, "It was fucking mechanics making that noise...charging static."

Arno looked in confusion around to see where his peer was looking at the end of the room. No man dared to move until Arno saw it. From the back of the huge Salmacis statue, a large and cracked square counter weight, three different sized metal wheels with thin circular scrapped marks and a broken small copper lever had fallen down behind it. A handsome puff of yellow dust wafted up in a cloud into the air from under the collapsed rubble. Suddenly there was a thwack sound off to their left, as a coil of dusty and old rope fell across the floor like a dead snake making the Assassin's jump. It was then the Ex-Templar realized what had happened in an instant. The trap had been set off alright. But it was so old that only half had worked. And now not at all. Thank God. Arno shivered as he saw the white marks on the circular metal cogs. That had what been causing the screeching noise. Nothing but gears jarring together. But why did it sound like something was crawling up the side of the cylinder? Was it the pipes outside?

"Now that's one for the ledger," Axe grunted, moving to sit up. "I owe you one, my love," Axe said nodding to the chard weapon on his back with a small chuckle. Before rolling his eyes under an annoyed frown after a minute passed of them all looking at each other in worry. "Well don't just sit there gawking, lads, 'elp an old Assassin and his missus up."

The three men gently helped the oldest Assassin to standing, each keeping an eye out for any more traps to start activating. The air was silent, no ghostly screams or static building in the air.

Nothing.

Arno flexed his neck, feeling a lot calmer although still on edge. Green Coat had gone over to Ice Cream, said something, and the ginger was now untying his hands.

"What the hell do you think ya' doing?"

Ice Cream looked over his shoulder at the growl.

"It's safe, Axe -"

"You're about to disobey a direct order, Assassin," Axe said pointing at him with a thick finger, before grimacing and rolling his stiff shoulders, smoke still drifting faintly from the axe.

Ice Cream swallowed and looked back to his lover.

Green Coat looked away, pursing his lips with a deep scowl before nodding. Orders were orders. Assassins didn't have to like them.

"Right," Arno said, nodding to the others, "Let's try this again. Single file."

The Ex-Templar began to walk out of the room with Ice Cream helping a wincing Axe to move. He got to the the exit, stepping over the limp rope that had fallen from the ceiling, and saw Green Coat standing on the spot, staring at the floor like he wanted to burn a hole in it. Arno opened his mouth to urge his peer to move but he was beaten to the post.

"MOVE YA' HIDE YA' MOODY BASTARD!"

Arno frowned at Axe. That was rather uncalled for. But then they were all stressed in this place. And with an injured Axe, there was little room for cool. The blue coated Assassin went to open his mouth in his peer's defense but stopped. Axe wasn't usually that rough was he? He felt a sliver of pity for his peer. Axe, like all of them, was being effected by this place. Emotions were running high but they were all trained professionals, why was this room getting under their skin so much? Yes a trap had gone off but it was safe now.

Arno eyed the suspicious feminine idol.

First Civilization folk had a funny way of things- Wait, what was that about Consus that near enough scared the crap out of Axe? And why had Ice Cream fallen into the wall, saying someone had shoved him...? The Ex-Templar watched Green Coat breathing heavily, hands still tightly bound in front of him as he stared at their leader being helped across the room by Ice Cream, with a deathly glare. Arno felt odd pity all of a sudden. Green Coat looked terrible. His stubble was back, as was his own, making them both look older than they were. If he didn't know any better, he would say Green Coat had lost weight too. The result of the past few months in all honesty, he mused.

Arno waited patiently as Ice Cream and Axe came closer towards the exit, keeping an eye on his peer. He blinked. The angry man wasn't moving towards the exit but was now moving towards the statue with a murderous look in his eye. Arno, against his better judgement, impatiently ran back into the room to drag his peer out. Sods law he'd accidentally set off another trap in a temper.

~

Green Coat swallowed as he watched the two men half way across the chamber, ignoring how his pride hurt from being insulted. He couldn't think about Axe's previous words. Of why he was bound. Of blacking out and apparently saying things he never did. Green Coat pulled his wrists apart with a sharp jerk of defiance to try and break free but it was of no use. Axe had ordered it. Orders were orders. He stared at the floor, glad that Axe wasn't seriously hurt, thanking the ghost of the man's dead wife for making such a sturdy weapon. The twenty-two year old began to shake again at memories pouring into his head. Of Consus or his father. No, he said to himself, he'd deal with that can of worms later.

Green Coat turned his scowling face upwards, gritting his teeth, towards the idol's face above them. This fucking room. He hated it. He wanted to do something about it. To neutralize the threat. To blow it up. Isn't that what Assassins were best at? Come to think of it, wasn't the best thing to do with fear was to face it? Green Coat didn't know where the anger came from but it was mixing nicely with his own giving him sudden confidence. He walked over to the tall statue and stared it dead in its shut eyes in a silent challenge before noticing that there was a tiny trickle of water seeping down from one corner an eyelid. He frowned, following the trail all the way down the stone body and saw that another small patch of water was leaking onto the floor from under the stone base. He moved closer and ran the tip of his boot over the small puddle that was collecting near his feet. He crouched down, wiping a finger across the watery path with his bound hands. Was that there before? He squinted as the puddle began to increase ever so slowly, the watery path reforming-

"You done?"

"What?" Green Coat grunted, brow lowered, not looking over his shoulder.

"We need to leave," Arno said feeling the air charging as he stood behind Green Coat. "Bloody miracle that trap misfired. We shall not be lucky a second time-"

"Piss off. It's broken," the dark haired man spat, still looking at that water dribbling onto the floor. Great, the snapping of the counter weight must have jogged the terrain and water table below their feet. Still, The First Civilizations were clever little shits, he'd give 'em that-

"For once in your sodding life, Green," Arno continued with clenched teeth, "Will you cooperate with me?"

"The mechanisms in this place have rotted and are of no use," Green Coat spat over his shoulder before looking back at the leakage, "Much like your brain-"

"Move!" an exasperated Arno shouted and grabbed Green Coat's bound wrists by the rope in the middle.

The dark haired Assassin tried hard to yank them out of reach with a grunt.

"That's enough," Axe growled, standing just near the doorway with Ice Cream, who's facial expression was somewhere between embarrassment and worry. "Out. Now."

"Move before you set off another trap, ingrate," Arno hissed and stormed towards the exit.

Green Coat didn't know why he stayed on the spot for as long as he did. Stupid twat, he thought. This place wasn't a viable trap any more, or if it was it was long past its working date. How dare Arno second guess him. Who was the locksmith and technical expert in this group? Himself. He didn't need some arrogant jump-start telling him how to do his job. He saw Arno look over his shoulder and Green Coat couldn't help offering one last parting shot.

"See?" Green Coat shouted, absentmindedly thumping the base of the statue behind him with the heel of his boot. "Nothing."

It was a second later that that same section of base exploded, making Green Coat jerk away from bits of flying stone, as the trickle of water that only a second ago was innocently spilling onto the floor turned into a strong jet that pounded out through the boot shaped hole and onto the stone floor.

"Ah, now you've done it," Axe growled as Arno and Green Coat shared a look of equal shock, "GET OUT OF THERE!"

The two young Assassin's dashed out, with Green Coat turning to offer a hand to helping a limping Axe. The two elder Assassins put a foot into the exit before they forgot the most important rule.

When it comes to The First Civilization; never assume you're safe.

There was a sickening crunch of metal upon stone and the circular floor of the room tipped sharply up sideways. Axe and Ice Cream both cried out, falling and sliding down the wet floor and out of sight, back towards the statue.

"AXE!" Arno shouted as he and Green bolted forward into the room-

**THUD!**

The stone door to the entrance slammed down from that grove in the frame stopping them dead in their tracks.

"ICE CREAM!" Green Coat screamed, voice echoing around the cavern, bound hands pushing against the stone door, frantically trying to find a handle.

"AXE!" Arno added, as both young men begun pounding their fists on the door.

"OVER HERE!" they heard Ice Cream's voice shout to their right and they both rushed over to the side, seeing a thin crack in the metallic structure, no bigger than a palm.

"Are you alright?!" Green Coat asked, peeking in, pewter colored eyes wide.

"Yes! The floor reset, but we can't get out! It's a pressure trap and-" he was shoved to the side as Axe's ruddy face and voice bellowed through the gap.

"The bloody room is fillin' with water!"

"What?!" Green Coat shouted with horrified eyes, standing on his tip toes, trying to see further into the room as the sound of roaring water bellowed around the inside of the cylinder.

"A fail safe! There has to be one!" Ice Cream cried above the thunderous noise of the water some where off to Axe's right.

Arno left his peer and sprinted back to the door. He dug his gloved finger tips into the side of the large stone, trying with all his might to pry open a gap, feeling if there was a safety lever. He heard a slosh and jumped back as water spilled out from under the doorway, soaking the cave's stone and sandy floor a darker shade than before. The Ex-Templar heard rumbling and looked to the side. The pipes that fed into the cylinder gurgled with high pressurized water shooting through their metal frames and into the room. They had all been wrong, he realized with a start.

The statue wasn't the trap.

It was the entire room.

~

"Where’s all this feckin' water coming from?!" Axe bellowed as he threw his axe and belts on top of the alter with a clatter. Axe next tore off his brown waist coat and white shirt, standing in nothing but his red sash and green and white stripped trousers. He rolled his uniform and shirt into a tight ball in his fists and splashed over to the hole in the knee high water, stuffing the material ball into it. The water sprayed up high with the pressure as the wad of fabric blocked the flow but didn't stop it completely.

"ICE GIVE US A HAND!"

Ice Cream hopped through the water, slipped with the undercurrent and fell with a cry into the water.

"ICE?!"

He righted himself and shook his copper head of water with a curse shouting he was alright. Finally, reaching his team leader, Ice Cream stood next to Axe as he tried to unbutton his coat with shaking hands. Seeing the Assassin struggling with the freezing water, Axe reached over and grabbed at Ice Cream's coat, tearing it off, the garment coming free. Ice Cream clawed off his belts and equipment, and rolled his uniform into a similar ball and shoved it into the hole. The two men held their assassin coats firmly, fighting against the strong jet, the escaping spray falling onto their heads-

BOOM!

Another large jet of water shot out of another wall directly behind them snuffing out part of the firelight.

"SHITE! GET THAT ONE!" Axe bellowed, using both large hands and arms to hold their uniforms in place as Ice Cream hopped through the knee high water as fast as he could. As he moved, Ice Cream stripped his white shirt off and pulled it up over his head. When he finally reached the water jet he shoved his linen shirt into the hole and smashed his naked back up against it, shouting how cold the water was with a gasp-

BOOM!

A panel off to their right exploded and more water poured in.

Both half naked Assassins shared a horror filled look as the water mixed with the liquid methane, the flames starting to move from the wall, spreading out across the flooding floor.

"GET US OUT OF HERE LADS!" Axe yelled as loud as he could.

~

Arno heard the panicked shouts from inside the cylinder and ran around the entire circumference of the building, checking here and there for some lever or some sort of indication of a fail safe. Who ever built this must have had one, what if it was set off accidentally before it's time? Why the hell was this trap here in the first place?! To protect the diamonds? Why would they worship them in the alter? Was it some sick joke Salmacis's followers were trying to make? Using the story of Salmacis dragging men into water? Arno stopped and his eyes darted too and fro. The pipes that were pumping water into the room were shaking with the force, dust billowing off of their forms and Arno, with a lightning bold of an idea, jumped up, wrapping his arms around and pulling down with all his might. The metal pipe cracked and gave with a large spurt, the water now splashing out onto the cavern's floor.

"Yes!" Arno shouted, "GREEN HELP ME!"

The young Assassins ran around the side pulling and yanking at the water pipes as fast as they could, some breaking easily, some needing both of their body weights to break.

~

"We've broken some of the pipes!" the emerald coated Assassin shouted into the hole.

"GOOD BUT GET THE DOOR OPEN!" Ice Cream screamed as he yanked off his assassin red sash, turned and stuffed it with all the force he could muster into the water still pounding at his back. "THE WATER'S GONNA FREEZE US TO DEATH!"

"OR BURN US!" Axe shouted from the side, kicking out under water at a flaming pool of lit methane advancing for his side. He quickly pointed a finger to something half floating in the water before putting pressure back on the make-shift water blockage at his back. "THE LION ICE! GET IT!"

"BUT THE JET-!"

"THEN BE QUICK!"

Suddenly all the lights were snuffed out.

The painted walls plunged back into inky darkness, with small islands of alight methane burning on the surface of the water being their only light source.

Ice Cream pushed off against the strong jet at his back with a cry and into the torrent. He gasped as his boots barely touched the floor, the water now up to his chin. He swam over to the artifact that was bobbing on the surface before the white spray of the water sucked the lion under. The ginger haired copper sucked in a breath and went after it.

~

Arno jerked back from the hole in the tube and ran to the side. He looked up saw the largest pipe, heaving and creaking with water. He gritted his teeth in helplessness. Even with both of their weights, they wouldn't be able to break it. Out of some desperation he slammed both of his hands onto where the pipe joined the main body of the tube building and saw something that made his heart stop. There, around the edge of where the pipes joined the cylinder, carved as so to seem like decoration were words.

In Latin.

"Latin..." Arno breathed before he shouted, "I see Latin! Green Coat!"

Green Coat dashed up to where he was with a "What?!" before seeing. He began to run his fingers over the find, frantically twisting his body to under the pipe and over it to read the inscription. After a few seconds of silence from his peer with only the noise of the roaring water and the other Assassin's shouting and cursing inside, Arno spoke.

"Can you read it?"

"Yes, when it's not half smashed off the fucking wall!" Green Coat shouted over his shoulder.

"Come on, you know Latin!" Arno shouted, as the cries from Axe and Ice continued, internally berating himself for hardly studying the dead language. "Read it!"

**"I'M TRYING!"**

Arno heard a gurgle and snapped his head to his left. Water was now spurting out of the hole in the wall. Their window to Axe and Ice Cream was gone. Time was running out.

"...Respice...in oculis meis."

"What?" Arno asked with a raised eyebrow, "Look into my eyes?!"

"That's what it says!" Green Coat shrieked, "How the hell does that help us?! AND GET THIS BLOODY ROPE OFF MY HANDS!""

HMMMMM! HMMMMmmmm!

Green Coat and Arno froze with identical expressions as the loud vibrations echoed through the pipes around them.

"The lion!" Arno shouted over the thunderous noise, both Assassins coming to the same assumption."It's talking!"

"Maybe it's trying to help us! Give it to me!" Green Coat shouted with palms open.

"What, I don't have it," Arno said, wide eyed.

Green Coat stared at him in horror.

"Then who does?"

~

Ice Cream surface with a loud gasp, spitting water and stared, suddenly forgetting he was up to his chin in cold water as he stared into the face of the lion statue in his palm. His blue eyes grew large. The lion's face began to slowly contort, the act making the statue vibrate slightly in his hands.

The lion barred it's teeth and froze.

Ice Cream screamed and dropped the lion with a splash into the rising water.

"OH GODS IT'S ALIVE!"

"What?!" Axe yelled over the noise of the water.

"WHERE'S THE LION?!" Arno and Green both shouted into the air, hoping the other two could hear them from the grating on the tube's roof.

"A-Arno!" Ice Cream shouted up towards the metal grating that was creeping closer and closer as the water level rose. Ice Cream coughed as he tread water,  "The Lion, it's snarling!"

"IT'S TRYING TO TALK TO US!" Green Coat shouted into the air before Arno slapped him on the arm hard with the back of his hand.

"Look!"

Both young men saw where the water had dribbled out of the slit had washed off dirt and grime below it. Faint images were carved into the stone and the Assassin and Ex-Templar bent down. More Latin words were written like a snake the circled around to their left. The young men followed the thin trail of words until they came to a faint square.

Green Coat and Arno hurriedly ripped the grime from off of the wall and saw a faint and straight groove. Both pawed at the panel, digging fingernails under it and the panel came away with a metallic puff of dust and sand.

"A FAIL SAFE!" Green Coat shouted. "YES!"

Arno stared at the panel. Seven palm sized levers were directly below seven Latin inscriptions. Arno stepped back as Green Coat hurriedly bent forwards to translate.

"What do they say?!"

"...open eyes...," Green Coat said, pointing to the first one with his still bound writs, "...deep loss..." next indicating to the second inscription, "...love lost...a transformation...exfugio means to run...numen mean's God, lacus...and..."

Green Coat stopped at the last one.

"What does it say?!" Arno shouted at a staring Green Coat, the color having drained from his peer's face.

Green Coat turned to Arno with wide eyes.

"Desolatoris Permadesco."

~

"We need to climb! It's our only way or this water is going to send us into shock way before we drown!"

"Right!" Axe shouted and both men, standing on the alter, began to climb the huge statue. Ice Cream clawed his way up as Axe followed him-

"Wait!" Axe shouted, flicking his wet shoulder length brown hair out of his eyes, "Where's the kitty?!"

"Huh?!" Ice Cream shouted, looking over his shoulder in the semi darkness as he reached up mid climb. There was a squeak and his glove slipped.

"GAH!"

The ginger fell back into the water and directly into a patch of fire. Axe didn't register it at first; for the fire, the moment Ice Cream touched the water, recoiled away from the Assassin. Axe let go of the statue and fell into the water with a great splash. He surfaced in the inky darkness, a single beam of light from the grating above them, and grabbed the coughing man by an arm.

"You alrigh' ?!"

"AH! It's talking!"

"What?!" Axe yelled over the water.

"The lion!" Ice Cream shouted, kicking his feet out frantically to keep himself afloat, the water starting to numb his limbs while holding onto Axe, "Underwater! Listen!"

Axe, treading water, shook his head in confusion before he got the meaning. He took a deep breath and went beneath the surface. He opened up his brown eyes underwater as best he could and searched for his target in the dim light. But that wasn't what got his attention first. It was the voice. Female. Breathless. Repeating something over and over in a language he didn't understand. It was then he saw it. The snarling statue was...floating in the middle of the water. Like it was too heavy to float to the top but was too light to fully sink. A perfect circle of flames on the water's surface gave the statue a wide birth, alternating between red, green and purples. The lion very slowly twirled around in the undercurrent as that ethereal voice called out, again and again.

"BUGGER ME!" Axe shouted as he surfaced with the lion in his palm.

"What?" Ice Cream spluttered, coughing up water, trying to hold onto the statue's elbow as the water rose. "What's it saying?!"

"The same bloody thing as before! Respice in..in.."

"Oculis meis?!" Ice Cream cried, coughing water out of his lungs, "Look into my eyes?!"

"Aye, that's the one!" Axe shouted as he swam over and grabbed at the other crying idol's elbow, nodding to the carving in his hand, "At least we ain't gonna burn to death with the Kitty repelling fire!" _  
_

~

"Desol...that's what's-" Arno said blinking.

"Branded on Ice's hands," Green Coat said aghast.

"What does it mean?" Arno asked quickly.

"Desolatoris Permadesco means to be barren-"

"No, no, what do the words mean **individually**?!"

D-d-desolatoris means to abandon, to stop," Green Coat stuttered, blinking furiously, "and Permadesco means to be effeminate, to soak through and..."

A light went on behind Green Coat's eyes.

"No, fuck me, flood."

"Come again?!"

"IT'S FLOOD!" Green Coat yelled over the noise of the water, both of his hands grabbing Arno's blue uniform, eyes wild with excitement, "Desolatoris means **stop** and Permadesco can mean **flood**! Desolatoris Permadesco means STOP FLOOD!"

Green Coat's hands shot up to the lever.

"Wait!" Arno shouted, grabbing his arm, "How do we know it won't pour more water in?!"

"WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE!" Green Coat near enough screamed, as he grabbed the lever with both hands under Desolatoris Permadesco and pulled down with all his might.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Wings - Oh, how I do love a good booby trapped tomb *cackles evilly* This chapter was part of the next one, but on the advice of Moon, have separated them to make the length a bit more bearable to read. Next up, The Salmacis Trap: Part Two! (For the record, I can't speak Latin. I leave the translation work up to Moon :B )


	40. The Salmacis Trap: Part Two.

 ~

Ice Cream and Axe looked from their positions clinging on tightly to the arms of the huge weeping statue of Salmacis when there was an impossibly loud creak that echoed in the air around them. The surging water under their feet began to calm, the under current slowing and the islands of methane fire floating more gently now. But yet the over head jets of water continued to pour down into the quickly filling chamber.

"They're nearly there!" Ice Cream shouted, body starting to shiver from the freezing cold water.

"Aye!" Axe shouted to the ceiling where a rusted and vine covered metal grating was positioned, hoping Arno and Green Coat could still hear them. The elder Assassin coughed up water, "Now get these over head ones shut off, lads! And get that blasted door open!"

~

The two young men outside The First Civilization structure twisted their necks around in confusion while gazing up at the ancient pipes that connected into the tube like building where their friends were trapped. Water from the broken pipes fell down upon their heads as Arno pulled his soggy blue cowl off his head to get a better look.

Green Coat kept his fingers clinging around the copper lever, knuckles turning white from the effort as the contraption ground out a loud crunch of metal followed by a satisfactory clunk.

"The water's not stopping!" Arno shouted with a frown, seeing one dark over head pipe shaking violently with the torrents of water pumping through inside.

"I KNOW THAT!" Green Coat screeched back, frantically checking the Latin text above each lever that they had found inside the panel. He began to retrace their steps round the tube, reading more Latin, "There has to be something we've missed!"

Green Cot suddenly stopped and tugged at his bound wrists with an anguished cry but Arno was there before he could ask. The Ex-Templar flicked out his hidden blade and sliced the rope in half. Orders be dammed if Axe and Ice Cream were going to die.

Green Coat nodded a brief thanks and threw off the fabric, rubbing at his wrists as he continued to read symbols on the trap's outer wall.

The cylinder hummed loudly at intervals. The sound pulsating from deep within the room, echoing inside the external pipes, now louder from those empty. A pattern began to repeat over and over again, emerging in Arno's head, almost in code. The humming was unmistakable. It was the same sound that the lion statue would emit when held to an ear. The pipes were like a giant ear, he mused, taking a step back. A jolt of an idea hit Arno making him grab at the fabric of Green Coat's arm.

"Wait," Arno said, eyes wide, "If the lion is truly trying to help us, what has it said up till now?"

Green Coat stared at him in anguish before blinking rapidly, thinking.

"Think man!" Arno barked.

"H-h-heartbeats," the young and panicked Assassin stuttered, "...look into my eyes....it told Frederic his life was death or something-"

Arno took a gamble.

"What does 'Larcus' mean?"

"Larcus?!" Green Coat shouted above the noise of fast rushing water, drops still falling onto their heads, before blinking quickly in thought, "There is no such word! Unless you mean-er-er- Lacus?"

"What's that?"

"Er-er-er-it's means a-a-" Green Coat continued to stutter as Ice Cream and Axe continued to shout from inside the trap, eyes screwed shut in intense concentration, " A-a lake or a series of cisterns-"

Arno and Green Coat both looked at each other as they reached the same conclusion.

"CISTERNS!"

Arno shouted "Heads up!" as he and Green Coat instantly yanked the lever down under the corresponding word.

Both twenty-two year olds looked up as there was a long groan of metal and a fine puff of dust erupted from the top of the circle building's roof. Pipes gurgling around the structure began to slow with the unmistakable sounds of water beginning to reverse their direction. Arno and Green Coat waited with baited breaths for confirmation as something opened with a creak inside the cylinder.

Arno pointed his mouth to the top of the structure so Axe and Ice Cream would hear.

"What's happening?!"

~

The trapped Assassins held tightly onto the sobbing head of the statue.

The strong undercurrent jets stopped, making the water calm, before there was a sucking sound and the circular floor of the room began to tip sideways again, water escaping with a gurgling sound, starting to spiral like water down a drain hole-

**CRUNCH! CRUNCH!**

The floor stopped in one position, jerking up and down where it had gotten stuck, the draining lid only partly tilted.

"THE HELL'S HAPPENING?!" Axe shouted.

Ice Cream gasped in a breath and shoved his head underwater. He opened up his blue eyes and could just about make out the floor straining and struggling to up turn. The noise of gears grinding and clunking against each other continued as the Assassin searched with his eyes in the dim water for what was blocking it.

"GOOD LADS, GOOD LADS!" Axe, seeing one over head pipe fully empty of water, shouted with a beaming smile as Ice Cream surfaced with an "ah! It's stuck on something!", the water now creeping up towards their shoulders.

"NOW GET THAT FECKIN DOOR OPEN!" Axe bellowed.

Suddenly Ice Cream saw Axe's face turn to shock, sharply jerking an arm behind to feel around the top of his naked back.

"SHITE! JULIET!?" Axe shouted with wide eyes and dived under water.

"Axe?! AXE?!" Ice Cream screamed at the water as the larger man sunk beneath in the darkness. It was a while until he surfaced again into the beam of dim cavern sun light from the grating, the islands of methane fire all but gone, holding the large axe triumphantly in one fist.

"I can't leave her!" Axe shouted at Ice's confused face, kissing the Axe's still lightning chard blade. "Or she'll have me hide!"

"Love of your life!" Ice Cream shouted with a warm smile as the freezing water continued to rise higher, before gasping as Axe's grip with one hand slipped on the stone work. Ice Cream reached out and pulled a thick arm towards him, helping the Assassin repurchase again.

"You alright?!"

"Havin' a bloody wonderful time, Iris!" Axe shouted with a grin nodding at their impending watery grave.

"You and me both, Gale!" Ice Cream shouted back with a bark of self deprecated laugh, both still clinging onto the statue's head as the water rose higher and higher, reaching their necks.

~

"The side ones have stopped but where the hell is the rest of the water coming from?!" Green Coat shouted desperately looking around them at the half broken and empty old pipes.

"We need to get that door open!" Arno shouted pointing, "the pressure will negate any more water coming in!"

Both young men looked at the remaining levers.

"Two down, only one more to go...so which one?" Arno said.

"...something...something about," Green Coat said shutting his eyes with a frown, searching his own memories. Something about the Fountain of Salmacis story had to be a clue to this trap.

"WHAT'S THE LION SAYING?" Arno yelled into the air at hearing the voice of Axe and Ice Cream shouting to each other that they were having a wonderful time.

"LOOK INTO ME FECKIN' EYES!" came the reply.

"Same as before!" Ice Cream yelled up towards the grating. "Please hurry!"

"What the...," Green Coat said scanning the remaining levers, "But that doesn't help! None of these makes sense! Lions weren't in the fuckin book at all!"

"What book?"

"The Fountain of Salmacis-"

"You have it on you?"

"Oui," Green Coat said shoving a hand into his inner pocket and bringing out the small and velvet looking book. The young Assassin flipped over page after page in a hurry, dark eyes scanning rapidly.

Arno looked over his peer's shoulder and saw images and text flying past-

"Wait!" Arno said and shoved a gloved hand onto a page, stopping Green from turning it. "Look there's the cylinder!"

Green Coat squinted and saw with a great start a small engraving of a building that looked very much like a cylinder with pipes connected to it in the extreme distance behind an engraved image of a sobbing Salmacis.

"What the fuck...?"

Something about the position of the fleeing Hermaphroditus struck Arno. The fur coated man was motioning with one hand towards a set of trees that looked not unlike a square doorway. The other hand was pointed to his feet. Arno looked back up to the tube structure. The tilted floor had stopped the vast quantity of water from entering into the tomb but the upper flow was still unequal, filling the room. Axe and Ice Cream were still in danger.

"It has to be one of these," Arno said with an angry frown. "This page must be a codex-"

"So what do these all mean?!" Green Coat nearly yelled, panting with stress, "Even if we manage to tilt the floor fully, what if the trap is just broken and nothing works?!"

"Translate again!" Arno yelled, shoving the book into his chest, "This image is the key!"

Green Coat looked back to the seven levered panel of Latin text.

"...open eyes...deep loss...love lost...a transformation...to run-"

"Wait, that one, which is it?"

"Huh?"

"That last one," Arno said looking back at the image of Hermaphroditus running. A hunch at the back of his brain fighting it's way to the front. "What's Latin "to run"?"

"Exfugio."

"Can that mean anything else? Like Permadesco did?"

"Er...exfugio means to run, to flee, to escape-"

"It's that one! Look," Arno said with confidence, pointing to the image in his hands, "He's pointing to a door and his feet-"

"There is no door!" Green Coat shrieked, both palms open to the image in the book, "That's a bloody forest!"

"No look, you idiot, it's a door. See how those two trees are bent over like that?! The path under it is heading towards that tube building-"

"WHY WOULD THAT BE A DOOR?"

"I DUNNO MAYBE BECAUSE IT IS THE DOOR!"

"SO WHY IS THE FUCKING LION TELLING US TO LOOK INTO IT'S EYES?!"

"QUIT ARGUING AND PULL THE DAMN LEVER OR THEY ARE BOTH GOING TO DIE!"

Without thinking both Assassins, in their mutual shared anger and sheer desperation, slammed their hands down onto the copper leaver below Exfugio. The lever, after some initial resistance, juttered downwards with the pressure. There was a crunch of heavy metal and the sounds of rushing water. Both Assassins snapped their heads round as the stone door way began to rise slowly, water pouring out fast onto the cavern's dusty rock floor.

"YES!" Green Coat shouted with a wide smile-

**SNAP!**

Arno looked at the copper lever in Green Coat's stunned hand, which had completely snapped off from the panel.

Both men looked up in horror as the one thing that could save the other two men broke in front of them as the door slammed back down with a loud thud and spurt of water, resealing the trap.

"NO!" Green Coat screamed.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" Arno heard Ice Cream yell as Green Coat side kicked the panel.

"OPEN YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" the young Assassin screamed in blind fury, aiming again at the crumbling rock, "OPEN!"

"LOOK OUT!"

Arno quickly shoved his peer sideways as part of a football sized overhanging piece of stone and pipe from the tomb dislodged and fell down with a thump into the soggy sand at their feet.

"THE GRATING!" Arno shouted, grabbing Green Coat's arm in one hand and the broken copper lever in the other, and hurling them both up the steps that encircled the Precursor building. Arno ran and ran, feet flying over the gaps in the staircase, shoving the lever into an inner pocket. He dared not look over his shoulder to see if Green was following. He gulped in air as his mind worked furiously, his heartbeat in time to his foot steps. That door should have worked, what had happened?! What did they do wrong?! But he knew what had happened. It was true what his peer had said previously; this trap was old and very broken. They had correctly solved the "riddle", putting automatic trust into the trap actually working, but it didn't matter anymore. They had to find another way to get Axe and Ice Cream out before it was too late.

Arno and Green Coat reached the summit of the building and dashed over to the small grating, seeing the other two Assassins heads under it, fingers curled around the rusty bars.

"ICE! AXE!" Green Coat screamed and ran over as Arno looked up high into the cavernous ceiling where the water had stopped coming from but yet the pipes were still pumping it into the trap. Arno forced his brain to think slower. Consider every angle, his Templar mentor had said, but not _too_ much. Don't over think it. Every possible outcome is possible but sometimes the answer is right under your nose if only one took a moment to see. The Precursors were intelligent beings but not completely infallible. The trap. The tube. The pressure inside needed to be equalized. If only they could-

A flashback to Green Coat violently kicking the panel came to him for some odd reason. Kick the panel?  No, that wouldn't do any good, they couldn't kick their way in...dust...broken...rocks...

Arno looked around and for some unknown reason began to climb onto the jutting cavern rocks that the tube was half built into. The light from the cavern's broken ceiling now cascading in from the large hole, the light semi illuminating the walls around him. As he climbed higher he caught glimpses of figures on the balcony of over hanging rock, making his heat stop. Arno blinked as out of the shadows formed the unmistakable outlines of stone lions. Many of them. Arno hauled himself up to the balcony they were on and took a moment to catch his breath as he processed. Like huge ancient gargoyles, the beasts were sitting or standing in a semi circle on the rock's outcrop, snarling and...each was slightly different. One was looking upwards, another towards one on it's left. One was even missing it's entire face. And again, all the eyes had been smashed off.

"Come on, gimme a break," Arno said to the universe at large as he tried to figure out what this all meant and the pressing issue of saving his friends.

Words and visions swirled furiously around inside his head, hunches forming with other hunches as he tried to piece together a plan.

Arno looked back at the pride's mutilated eyes.

"Why do we have to look into the lion's eyes...," Arno said before he looked behind himself and stopped dead.

For the statue that was sitting directly behind him was unique.

This lion had eyes.

~

The water surged higher and higher as Ice Cream kicked out, spluttering in the water, the humming from the lion statue in his pocket was continuing to echo as Ice tried to keep a hold of Axe. Both men hit their heads on the ceiling, moving over to the metal grating at the top, fighting to breath air in the spray.

"ICE! AXE!"

"Green!" Ice Cream cried out coughing as he felt his lover's fingers press down onto his own at the bar. Ice Cream looked up and saw his young partner looking at him and Axe in pure anguish, the sight making his heart clench.

"We'll get you both out of there! I promise!" Green Coat shouted over the roar of the water, grabbing at the fingers that were curled around the metal grating.

"I know you will, Vincent," Ice Cream smiled, wet ginger hair plastered to the sides of his face, squeezing back with warm eyes. "Now go help Arno!"

Green Coat bent down, kissed his partner's wet fingers with all his love and ran.

~

Axe and Ice Cream looked at each other as Green Coat's shadow left the grating and the water engulfed their necks.

"On the count-a three, Iris..." Axe said as the water rose past his bearded chin.

"On the count of three, Gale," Ice Cream spluttered back.

"One.."

"Two..." Ice Cream grimaced as freezing tomb water began to invade his mouth.

"Three!"

And the Assassin's took their last breath.

~

"Arno!" Green Coat yelled up to his peer standing on an outcrop of rock a few feet above him, "What-"

There was a loud spurting noise and both Assassins turned to see water shooting up like a fountain from out the grating.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Green Coat shouted as he ran back over to the metal bars and yanked desperately at them with clenched teeth. "NO! I WON'T LET YOU DIE!"

Arno turned back around and stared at the calm lion towering over him, his heartbeat thumping painfully against his chest. Something about the beast gave him immense hope. He didn't know if it was the fear or terror running through his veins but something about the large lion spoke to him. Its head, the direction it was facing, was different to the rest. Where as the other lions were looking off at odd angles, this lion was staring at something. Something in particular. What was it looking at? Arno followed its gaze and found it was gazing down wards at the water now flooding out across the flat outer roof of the cylinder.

Arno shook his head with a pained expression and looked at The Fountain of Salmacis book again, but his shaking hands slipped and he caught the book by the side.

Arno froze, staring at the upside down page that had been awkwardly caught in his hands.

A face seemed to emerge out of the inked engraving.

He squinted. When looking at the image horizontally, one would say it detailed a black and white engraving of Salmacis crying with a fleeing Hermaphroditus into a forest. But some images are not all what they first appear. Arno now saw the second vertical image emerge, like an illusion out of nowhere. Each part of the landscape made up part of a face.

The face of a lion.

One that was looking down at another set of large eyes.

Arno had seen that lion before as he slowly looked over his shoulder with recognition at the lion behind him. He snapped his head back to where the lion was staring and his mouth fell open. Where Green Coat was crouching and trying frantically to free the Assassins, the man had accidentally kicked water around himself from the grating, with his long coat trails at the bottom of his jacket accidentally rubbing off dirt. The dust continued to washed away and a large painted set of eyes emerged on the roof of the chamber Ice Cream and Axe were trapped in.

Arno was lost for words.

A painted female face looked up at him from the tube's roof, with the grating in the middle, positioned right between the eyes.

Arno felt dread take hold of him.

He knew who that face belonged too.

It was the same one as which adorned the colossal statue inside the stone cylinder.

Salmacis.

"Look into my eyes...," Arno breathed before the solution that was there all along hit him smack in the face."GREEN COAT HELP ME!"

~

Something in Arno's voice made Green Coat leave the grating with a helpless cry and a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. He ran, climbing up to where Arno was, the other man grabbing his cowl to pull him up.

"Look into my eyes," Arno shouted, pointing to the book then at the roof of the cylinder, "This is it!"

Green Coat turned to what Arno was pointing at and promptly yelped, jerking back into the stiff stone legs of the sitting lion behind them, quickly turning and looking up. He yelled again in fright at the staring white beast above and fell backwards onto his arse.

"We need to push this over the edge!" Arno bellowed down at him pointing to the animal.

"What?!"

"Look into my eyes!"

Arno indicated to the painted set of eyes and Green Coat looked at the grating over his shoulder before back to his peer with a blanched face.

"The statue will crush them!"

"Got a better idea?!"

Both ran round behind the silently sitting lion and began to push it forwards and over the edge. A few crumbs of stone flicked off the bottom as it was nudged slightly forwards towards the edge by their combined strength, dust falling over the rim of the balcony.

But it wouldn't move fast enough.

Water was now spewing forth from the grating in tall bursts.

Green Coat couldn't see Ice Cream's fingers anymore.

Green Coat pushed and push until he felt an arm grab him by the elbow and yank him backwards, realizing they both needed to run at it.

Both men ran the short distance to the balcony's cave wall and then screaming at the top of their lungs at the lion.

"HEADS UP!" Arno yelled, praying Axe and Ice could somehow hear them, as their shoulders hit into its back and the statue finally toppled over the edge.

The beast fell with grace until it hit the metal grating face on. There was an almighty boom and the walls of the entire cylinder exploded outwards, water bursting out in a great wave that spilled across the cavern's floor in all directions, making bats screech in shock and the cavern rumble. The two young men hurriedly jumped down and saw Ice Cream and Axe tumble out of the wave and onto the floor, bodies like rag dolls.

Green Coat sprinted, with many splashes of feet, straight over to Ice Cream who was gasping loudly, coughing and spluttering on his side.

"Ice! Ice? Are you alright?!"

The ginger was on all fours now, coughing and gasping as the young Assassin helped him get air back into his lungs.

Arno dashed over to Axe who was sitting up on his arse, equally coughing and hurling obscenities into the air.

 "AXE!"-

**THWACK!**

Arno fell backwards onto the wet ground from the punch with a splosh.

"That's for taking your sweet time," Axe breathed with a soggy pointed finger, before he managed to stand up as Arno processed being socked in the jaw. Axe took a side step to the left and pulled the stunned young man back onto his feet, hugging him tightly in a wet embrace, "But thank you, lad, we owe you one."

"Ah-you're-welcome," Arno wheezed out in a whoosh of breath as Axe's hug winded him.

"I-I think," Ice Cream stuttered, as Green Coat took off his own emerald coat and gently wrapped it around Ice Cream's shivering and soggy form, "...the trap is now...completely broken," Ice Cream finished with an awkward and soggy smile to his lover.

"Oh, really?" Axe said with a chesty cough, water droplets falling onto the floor from his brown hair and clothes, "Because I hadn't noticed."

"How did you how break it?" Ice Cream breathed from his position sitting on the wet floor as Green Coat quickly rubbed the fabric at Ice Cream's back up and down to warm him.

"Look into my eyes..." Arno said, oddly remembering hearing that Axe's real name was Gale from Ice Cream's shout, "There are lion statues up there. One lion," he said indicating, as all eyes followed "...was looking at the chamber roof. It's eyes were intact. There was a set of eyes painted on the roof, identical to the Salamcis statue...and this book told the rest."

Ice Cream slowly took The Fountain of Salmacis book from Arno's out stretched hand.

"Eyes?"

"The lion was trying to help us...," Green Coat said, still crouched behind Ice Cream.

"He's always been trying to help us," Arno said.

"He?" Axe asked as Arno nodded.

"It's not Salmacis in there."

"...then who is it?" Ice Cream asked in nearly a whisper.

Arno blinked with exhaustion and a small laugh, indicating to the discarded statue nearby.

"The one person who we've been overlooking all this time. Hermaphroditus."

The Assassins were quiet, all slowly turning their heads to the small wet carving, as the stone lion, lying on its side, next to its huge and smashed brother, gazed at them with hollow eyes and a calm expression.

"Lets get out of here," Arno said walking over to the lion and picking it up, the stone feeling pleasantly warm, as the revelation sunk into the others, "...all _five_ of us."

They had got what they came for. The lion's second diamond eye was theirs. And they finally knew who the statue truly housed.

~

"Is it really him?" Axe asked as the group made their way slowly back. They had been forced to return the way they came, for the further cavern entrance had collapsed during their escape, with huge rocks and boulders blocking the path to outside.

"I'm certain," Arno said, as he and their leader walked in front, "All this time we've thought it was Salmacis in there. But if you look at it from the perspective of Hermaphroditus, things start to make more sense."

"More sense?" Green Coat said with a tired voice, "It just throws up more bloody questions-"

**Vincent, turn around!**

Green Coat stopped on the spot with a frown. He turned to his lover in the dim tunnel with an odd look.

“Did you just say something, Ice?”

Ice Cream also stopped walking with a confused look to his lover.

"No...?"

Green Coat felt something physically speak inside his head again, repeating. A voice that was breathless. Panicked and urgent. Pain began to build up in his head once more, a hand going to his sodden bandage, but a flash of a light passed behind their backs, pushing their shadows into long forms in front of them down the tunnel.

A light, yellow and white mist began to form at the back of the dark passage way. Small shapes of geometric designs flickered around the sides, floating outwards from the thick misty center.

The four men stared completely entranced.

"What is that?" Arno asked in wonder until a pair of red eyes emerged from within the mist. There was a sudden build up of static and the entire corridor burst into brilliant white light.

"RUN!" Green Coat screamed, not sure if it was his voice or the one in his head that came out of his mouth.

The Assassins heard a blood curdling screech as the ball of mist began tearing down the corridor towards them, the sounds of scratching following, lighting smashing into the ancient walls, obliterating the lion carvings in thunderous waves. The Assassins ran and ran, as the golden mist gained on them, and Arno found himself in the lead. He dashed down corridors, turning left, right, then another right and up, going on his knowledge of their first passing through here until he reached the air pressure trap. He realized in a cool part of his brain what had made that scratching sounds on the outside of the cylinder earlier.

It was this thing.

"Ah!" Green Coat cried out as he tripped on a vine as they approached the trap and fell down.

"Green!" Ice Cream screamed and ran back. He grabbed one arm and pulled, the man's legs trying to right himself as Arno grabbed the other arm, hearing the sounds of whirling mechanics from within the walls as they ran past Axe.

"HEADS UP!" Axe shouted and, with both hands, swung and slammed his large axe hard into the trap.

The wall burst out into a shower of stone and dust, plant life and vines cascading down onto the men as they ran and the trap activated. The ceiling rumbled, the wooden beams above them shook and snapped, falling.

The mist behind them shrieked high as if in pain. The falling rocks taking the blast from the bolts of lightning as the earth shook and rocks fell, crushing the screaming mist.

"SHIFT!" Axe shouted, grabbing Ice Cream by the upper green coated arm and throwing him ahead into the next room. The four men ran flat out and straight into the water chamber, the shrieks of the trapped ghost echoing as they jump-waded through the water, a fine puff of orange dust and dirt following them out of the submerged archway.

"GO! GO!" Axe shouted as they all began to climb. Ice Cream went first, getting a foothold from Axe as he was launched upwards, jumping onto the rope and climbing up swiftly in Green Coat's uniform, followed by Axe, who took the rope in his large fists. Arno was shocked to see how fast the man could lift his own body weight and then Green Coat put his hands together, nodding to it as Arno put his foot into the foothold and felt the man lift him up onto the rope.

"Come on!" Arno shouted down, a hand offered down as his peer took it, one hand now on the rope as Ice Cream and Axe reached the summit-

"ARGH!"

Arno looked down below him to see the red eyed and golden mist ghost had smacked straight into Green Coat, its long and bony hands tight around Green Coat's neck, tugging violently, trying to pull his head out of the sunlight streaming down on them.

"NO!" Arno shouted, kicking a leg out but it went right through the ghost's head as if it wasn't there.

Green Coat thrashed as the monster ripped his bandage off in one swipe. The Lock Smith shouted, with one hand trying to push the creature off of him as it began to claw at his eyes, blood streaking from his powder burn-

There was a blinding light of color.

Purples, greens and yellow burst out from the sunlight above Arno and he shut his eyes from the pain.

The golden ghost screamed below him, an audible hiss issuing from where the colored lights hit its form and the creature instantly released its hold on Green Coat, retreating back into the darkness.

Green Coat gasped and grabbed back onto the rope in the dazzling light, keeping his eyes shut as tightly as he could.

Arno quickly descended the rope, grabbing the shaking Assassin's hood and yanking him upwards.

Green Coat growled and spluttered in pure terror, teeth clenched like a vice together as he willed himself to climb up the rope blind and shaking, trusting Arno's guidance.

Soon, Ice Cream and Axe pulled the other two up and when finally free, Arno and Axe flopped onto the forest's wet ground as Ice Cream fell to his knees and threw the sparkling lion statue to one side before pulling a traumatized Green Coat into the circle of his arms tightly, sitting down.

Green Coat laid limply in the elder man's arm, shaking, eyes vacant and staring off into space.

"....ghost tried to kill me....a ghost...ghost...a fucking ghost..."

Ice Cream tried to comfort the Assassin, wiping at faint claw marks around his face with a cloth. Green's forehead injury had been reopened which got the notice of Axe.

"The feckin hell was that?!" Axe bellowed with deep breaths of air, pulling at a pocket on his chest and throwing a small bottle of what looked like iodine at Ice Cream.

"Something that didn't want us in there," Arno barked a laugh from shock before he saw the discarded lion statue. He rolled onto his side and picked it up, mindful it could burn him. But the stone animal was calm and cold, the diamond in its eye sparkling faintly. "Nice one with the light, Ice. Proves we got the right diamond."

Ice Cream, trying to clean Green Coat's forehead with the medicine, nodded to the Ex-Templar with a worried expression as the young coat less Assassin in his arms continued to stare into space, muttering to himself.

"How is he?" Axe asked as he scooted over to Ice and the near comatosed Green Coat.

Ice Cream took off the green garment and put it over it's owner, trying to keep him warm, mirroring his lover's earlier actions.

Arno didn't hear what they were talking about as Axe offered a strong smelling salt to Green Coat. The man was alive and that's what mattered. The young man collapsed back onto the forest floor in his blue Assassin uniform, looking up in between the dark trees. He grimaced as something poked him sharply in the side. He reached into his coat and brought out the snapped copper lever that the Lock Smith had accidentally broken. Arno laughed to himself as he put both lion and lever into one hand and moved over to Axe.

"Got the tube?"

"What?" Axe said, looking over his shoulder as Green Coat's body jerked with Ice Cream holding his head to the salts, the dark haired man blinking and coughing himself back to sanity. "Ah, yes lad, on me hip," the leader said as Arno un-clipped it.

"Put the diamond in me other pocket," Axe said, still fussing over his ex-student and Arno complied, carefully removing the faintly glowing diamond from the beast's eye socket with a thumb. He then went to put the statue into the tube, but accidentally put the copper leaver inside instead. Arno shook his head. He was mentally and physically exhausted more so than he thought, as he corrected this mistake.

"Think that thing will stay down there?"

"Oui, look," Ice Cream said, eyes to the sky, holding his lover tightly and resting his chin on his dark haired head, faintly rocking him.

The sky was pitch black, sprinkled with thousands of shining dots over which a thin green stream of light snaked it's ways across the heavens, purples and yellows joining in at intervals as it shimmered and glowed.

"Arora-fucking-Borealis..," Green Coat whispered within Ice Cream's warm arms as the elder Assassin smiled and kissed the head of his lover, burying his nose in that musk scented hair.

"Welcome back," the Lock Picker breathed with smile before he looked up at Arno, "The lights shone through the lion's diamond eye to stop that thing."

"Wait, if the lion is an encased Hermaphroditus," Arno said breathlessly to Ice Cream next to him, still with his head turned to the sky, "Then where the hell is Salmacis?"

"You sure she wasn't the thing," Green Coat said with an exhausted breath, the hint of a scowl playing across his face, "... that tried to claw my eyes out?"  before he nodded to Ice Cream above him.

"Merci for saving me."

"Thank Axe, he put the diamond in it's eye," Ice Cream chuckled, kissing his lover's lips.

 "I don't know what that creature was... but we need to move. Fast. Get back to Lyon," Axe said, also looking up into the heavens, "Precursor Temples have had visions in them before if previous Assassins are to be believed. But I've never heard of that... _thing_...before."

"I wonder if Frederic came across something similar in Turkey," Arno said, "He said lightning killed those Templars."

"Hmm, aye, that he did say..." Axe said scratching an ear in thought seeing Green Coat's wrists unbound.

"Speaking of which, now we know what clawed the eyes out of that fellow in the tomb," Ice Cream added.

"We have to get back right now," Green Coat said with a frown of worry, "Frederic is keeping some very dangerous things from us."

Axe finished for him, "Aye, 'e never said anything about that thing in there."

There was a thoughtful silence around the group before the second oldest Assassin spoke, looking up from rubbing a hand over one of Green Coat's wrists.

"Why did you bind his hands, Axe?"

"I trust _him_ ," Axe said confidentially, throwing a finger to Green Coat, "but not Consus. If the sod's lurking in 'is head."

Green Coat swallowed with large frightened eyes, sinking further into the safety of Ice Cream's arms at the mention of the high possibility he had inherited the being Consus from his father.

"God Lord, what a day this will make in the diary," Arno said with a smirk, trying to wrap his head around the whole Consus deal with Green Coat.

"Right gents, let's be off," Axe said putting a hand out onto the ground and pushing off to standing, "Pick up Francois and get the hell back to the HQ before these lights attracted unwanted attention-"

"It truly is amazing," a voice lazily drawled somewhere off to their right in the dark forest, "How slow you Assassins are."

The Assassins all scrambled to stand up, Green Coat staggering slightly to the side and into Ice Cream who grabbed his arm to support him, hidden blades engaging as out of the plant life stood ten masked men with pistols.

One was wearing a tall and handsome blue hat with an equally pretty white feather sticking out of the side.

Arno fixed his eyes on the intruders, normally counting how many men where there around him but he couldn't move his eyes away from the man wearing a remnant of a bird's wing. A flicker of recognition fired up in his brain. No, it couldn't be him. Blue Hat couldn't be that man. Not the man he shot through the cheek? Not the man who, from the looks of it was missing his left ear.

"Surprised I got here?" the smug Templar said to the heavily breathing Axe with a raised eyebrow and an expectant smile.

"Not really," Axe said with a tired shrug and a scowl, "I knew scum always floats to the top."

"Oh, I see you've not lost _your_ charm," before Blue Hat nodded to Arno.

"I'm surprised you took my student under your wing. But then again, not really. You always had a tendency to pick up unwanted strays."

Arno wanted to spit in the man's face.

"I knew we were facing off against a monster," the Ex-Templar said with a dark look, "...but I would never have thought it was you."

"I taught you well, did I not? Always expect the unexpected. But I was rather surprised you didn't recognize me back on the run-away carriage. Although that said, we were going very fast."

Arno shut his mouth, lest he actually spat and made the situation worse, feeling anger and hatred clouding his mind. Damn, why did he not shoot this bastard in the head on top of that carriage?

"I may have called you teacher once," Arno said, feeling his hidden blades wanting to be used, "But no more."

"Clearly, as you threw your lot in with the enemy," Blue Hat said looking around at the Assassins with raised eyebrows. "So very disappointing. What would your father think?"

Arno bristled narrowing his eyes.

"My father is dead-"

"What do you want, Frank?" Axe interrupted loudly, tiredness under his tone.

"Well, for you all to stop stalking me, but for now, I'd like you to put your shirt back on before you catch your death," the feather wearing man said to Axe before he caught Ice Cream's eye, "Not you, though. I'm rather enjoying the sight again."

Ice Cream looked like he was about to commit murder with his eyes, along side Green Coat, as Blue Hat leaned towards him.

"Nearly forgot how much I missed you and those abs."

"What do you want?" Ice Cream said with deadly intent, repeating Axe's words, "Part of your cheek back?"

"All manner of things, cheek included. A place in the country, more gold than I can eat, but really, I want the lion and the diamond. Notice how I said diamond, not _diamonds,_ " Frank said with a wink to the copper haired Assassin, "Frederic sends his regards."

"You've no leverage," Axe said in his deadly voice, as a slightly swaying Green Coat stood rooted to the spot, eyes on fire. "Your men are new grunts. We are Assassins."

"You're correct on that point," the man said before looking pointedly at a bare chested Ice Cream with a dramatic shrug. "But not on the leverage."

"LEMME GO!"

The Assassins all turned to see a masked bandit walking forwards into the semi circle with a hand bound struggling teenager with curly dark hair.

"Francois!" Ice Cream called, making to move towards him but Axe pulled the soggy Assassin back by a naked upper arm.

"Knew that would do the trick. Now, I'll make it quick as I can see Mr Death Glare over there is having difficulty with his emotions or some inner ear coordination," Frank said with a wave of a hand, as Green Coat shook with hatred, "Give us the diamond and lion or the boy dies."

"Go to hell!" Francois yelled loudly, before he spat at Frank.

The Templar looked towards the patch at where the wad of spit had missed its target and had fallen on his upper arm. Frank shook his head sadly.

"My, how rude. I wonder where he gets **that** from," the blue hat wearing man said staring directly at Ice Cream, before he grabbed Francois by the back of the neck and shoved a flint lock gun under his chin, cocking the pistol.

"Alright, alright!" Ice Cream shouted, stepping forwards with hands up, "Don't hurt him."

"Then _pay_ for him."

Ice Cream looked over at an equally bare chested Axe, who shoved a large hand to a pouch at his hip, popping it open, paused, then took the diamond out with a dark frown.

One of the masked men moved forwards and took the jewel from Axe's large hands, retreating back to the side of the Templar.

"Excellent. Now that wasn't so hard, was...," Frank trailed off as he took the diamond in one hand, the other still holding a cocked pistol to Francois throat and did a double take at the scowling dark haired man across from him.

"Hey, I remember you," Frank said suddenly with a large smile like one would greet an old friend, "You're the little shit we whipped back at the stables. Did you like that added touch of watching your partner being unmanned?"

Green Coat suddenly stopped swaying.

"I'm going to kill you," the twenty-two year old Assassin said with a gleeful grin and a nod to their aggressor.

"But not before," Ice Cream said, standing slighting in front of his unhinged lover, "I tear off his other ear."

"I'm afraid that will have to wait."

All heads sharply turned around and there, on the top of a tall moss bank was a large cloaked figure in a dark red traveling cloak.

Henri de la Vert.

The Templar's henchmen moved towards him.

"Wait!" Frank called, still with a gun pointed under Francois's chin, "No one go near him."

"Let the boy go, Frank," Henri said calmly in his tired old voice, "This redundant argument is between you and me alone."

"Oh, I _seriously_ beg to differ. You see these three little mice," the Templar said before he thumbed over to Axe, "And the fat rat over there, have very kindly done all the leg work for me. You got the lion all those years ago, for which the delight that is this Iris, over there, looked after...then your brother found the other diamond...and now these beauties have found the last piece."

Frank leaned over in Ice Cream's direction once more as Francois looked at the ginger Lock Picker with large pleading and scared eyes.

"I knew you'd go looking for the real fountain and get yourself trapped as you're incredibly scatter brained," the Templar drawled, "Can thank me later for literally burning the key into the palm of your hands."

"There are eleven Assassins in the woods around me," Henri very calmly said, as Ice Cream tightly gripped the arm of Green Coat who had jolted forwards slightly, "You have a choice. Either let the boy and my brothers go... or fight."

"Eleven Assassins?" said Frank, with a cheeky smirk, "I think you're bluffing old timer."

"I can assure you that he is not."

All eyes went to a large tree to the right where up in the branches was a figure with a bow drawn right above Frank's head.

"The very Mentor himself!" Frank shouted loudly with a beaming smile, "I do feel honored! And here I was thinking the Assassin's Master Connor had buggered off back to the Americas. But then I was meant to think that. Like that trip to Turkey was happening. Nice touch. Had me fooled."

Arno looked around for some way they could gain the upper hand as the men were distracted by talking. Christ, this day just got worse and worse. At least Master Connor was here, that swayed things in their favor somewhat. Arno looked at a unhinged Green Coat before something off to his right caught his eye. His black diary, the one he always carried, was lying crumpled and battered in the mud. It must have fallen out, he mused, when the Templars jumped them. Even in the current situation he felt a pang of sorrow. To think of how much that poor diary had been through, being soaked through when him and Ice Cream fell over that waterfall, chased by something akin to a ghost just now, not to mention being chucked off the old apartment HQ roof by Green-

A flashback slammed into his brain.

It was a huge gamble, especially with Francois being held a hostage, but if this was to work the boy would be free. But he had to do it now while everyone was distracted.

Arno hesitated for a moment before gently reaching into his coat pocket, which drew the attention of the grunts. Arno stared them in the eyes as he pulled out a leather tube and turned to face Blue Hat, interrupting him in mid conversation with Axe.

"You want the Lion?"

All eyes turned to the speaker.

"Go and get it," the Ex-Templar snarled, turned and threw the tube with all his might back down into the crypt's watery hole.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Pardon the late updating. This was due to (you guessed it!) work.
> 
> Edit: FYI myself and Moon re-read the chapters every now and again for any typos that escaped us the first time or inconsistencies within the plot...and we just spotted a huge plot hole the other day (which is now corrected). To those of you who may have spotted it, please pardon the sloppy writing which sneaked in from an earlier draft.


	41. Tales Told at Night

~

All hell broke loose.

The Templar known as Blue Hat shoved Francois to the side as he made for the open hole, not seeing a murderous Green Coat sprinting right at him. Ice Cream spun, side kicking the nearest thug heavily in the chest, before drawing a hand back and socking the stunned man under the jaw. Axe threw his body at the nearest goon and Arno ducked onto his haunches, pushing off from his heels as another thug drew his pistol, aiming it directly at his blue hooded head. Arno threw himself behind a moss covered rock as the intended bullet missed his skull and pinged off the top of the rock behind him in a puff of smoke and bright sparks. He heard the shouts, the bangs and smelt the acidic gunpowder erupting from the flint lock pistols around him as men shouted and panic descended.

"RUN!"

A crouching Arno heard the familiar voice shout, felt his right arm lift without his consent as he was dragged sideways by a figure and off into the forest, away from battle. The Ex-Templar was confused for a moment, staggering to run, before he looked up and saw that the hand belonged to, shockingly, Master Connor. Arno's brain tried to work out just why the man was pulling him _away_ from the fighting and not _towards_ it. But no sooner had he then another figure slammed into them both with a great shout. Arno's right boot clipped the edge of a rock and he fell down a sharp dip in the forest floor with barely any time to shout. Arno turned in mid air as he rolled, his hood flying off his face and saw Master Connor swing his tomahawk axe in a blur of motion, sinking it into the assailant who had collided with them. Arno gasped as his back hit a rock then another log as he picked up speed, hurtling down the forest's steep bank. He tried to find purchase, grappling frantically as the fighting above drew further away from him, but the speed at which he was descending fought back. He engaged his hidden blades and threw his hands out, trying to sink them into anything to stop his rapid fall. But as he did so, slamming repeatedly into the soft forest earth, he gagged as dirt and leaves flew up into his eyes and nose. That was when he felt air. Nothing under his body. He just about managed to see a cluster of rocks below him as he hurtled down into a small ravine, crashing into the hard ground, rolling under, into the darkness of a moss covered bolder-cave, before mercifully coming to a stop.

Arno coughed repeatedly, struggling to take in air as his winded chest cried out in pain with every breath in the cold and damp darkness. He looked up from his position lying under the rock and could see the steep hill and ravine face he'd collided with. Faint shouts and bangs were all that he could hear as he tried to move. His limbs felt numb and he ached in places he didn't know he had. The young man sat up, blinking in shock. After a while of coming to his senses from literally rolly-polling down the hill, he made to stand but went dizzy and fell back down onto his side, an arm out to catch himself. Arno cursed before anger took over. He welcome it as it fueled his movements to get back up. He had to get back to the others. Arno growled to himself, too angry and winded to swear. Why the hell had Master Connor dragged him away?!

~

It had gone quiet now. Must have been, what, fifteen minutes gone by? Arno, in that time, had tried to climb back up to the top of the hill but his shoulders were giving him grief. He carefully, as to not aggravate any internal injuries, climbed back up the short ravine, jabbing his boots into the dirt and flint as he reached the top and pulled himself over onto the grass and bush covered ground. Grateful for the organic cover, he moved in a zig-zag pattern back up the hill, careful if there was anyone waiting for him at the top-

"...Gale...where's..."

Arno froze, wondering if he had heard that sound correctly.

"..where...where are you? Gale, where are you?"

Arno blinked and looked over his shoulder towards the near wailing call. He knew that timid voice. Arno looked up the hill and back down the ravine he had just climbed, judging. He scanned the forest floor near the ravine and saw him.

Ice Cream was walking, very slowly, between the bushes. His naked chest exposed, wearing only his red sash and trousers, boots oddly absent. Arno squinted hard, trying to follow a flash of peach and dirt covered flesh moving slowly and erratically through the dense green plant life.

"GALE?!"

Arno winced at the shout, knowing what he had to do. He cursed and slid back down the way he came. Why the hell was Ice shouting? What had happened? Gale...why did he know that name? Wait, wasn't that Axe's true name?

Arno dropped down onto the ravine floor with a quiet 'umph!', his knees not thanking him, as he carefully crouched in the foliage, making towards the staggering Assassin. He hated to think it, but it could be a trap. He'd known certain Templars in the past to do such cowardly things, in order to draw out the remaining Assassins; let one injured loose and watch the rest come out of the woodwork trying to save them. Another reason he left that abhorrent Order. He stalked towards the man, checking for any sign of a side-on ambush. He reached Ice Cream and stood up slowly, bent over slightly in case he had to duck once more. "Ice!" Arno called out quietly which didn't get the ginger's attention. Arno scanned the area around himself and tried again a bit louder, "Ice, over here!"

Ice Cream stopped on the path, eyes unfocused and turned his head to Arno.

Arno felt his gut sink. Blood and dirt clung to Ice Cream's face, neck and bare chest. Arno prayed it wasn't the ginger's own as he frowned. Ice Cream's stomach was slightly swollen. Arno made a face. The man had gut worms after all.

"Gale," Ice Cream smiled dreamily, staggering sideways before catching himself on a tree trunk, "I'm so glad to...see...see," but never finished the sentence as his body suddenly fell sideways from the tree trunk and into the bushes, breath escaping in one exhale.

"Ice!" Arno called, eye still scanning his peripheral vision for danger and ran towards him. He reached the confused Assassin and helped to slowly pull him up to standing.

"Gale, where's my...baby...where's my baby, Gale?"

"What?" Arno asked with a frown before he saw something red in the bushes behind where Ice Cream had fallen. A patch of red liquid glistened, where the man's head had been, staining the leaves and Arno prayed it wasn't what he thought. "Stay still," Arno said as he carefully tilted the man's head to the side and saw. A thin trail of blood betrayed his wound down the side of Ice's cheek with bloody matted hair to the side.

"Oh God," Arno muttered to himself.

Ice Cream had been struck in the head.

"...Where is he...please, tell me..."

Arno felt the initial pangs of fright take hold but his initial and automatic Templar training took over. He had to calm the man down. Get him to safety before treating his wound. Or before someone heard or saw them. It was then he ironically noticed Templar and Assassin's treated their wounded the same.

"Shit, Ice, what the hell happened to you. Ice Cream, are you with me?"

The man looked to the side, head tilting oddly at an angle before he tried walking away but Arno grabbed him by the arm, not trusting the Lock Picker to be compus mentus.

"Ice Cream?"

"...baby...where is he, Gale...?"

Arno bit his lip as he tried a different approach to the highly confused man.

"...Iris?"

"My baby, I've lost my baby...," Ice Cream continued to whisper meekly before Arno saw the man's blue eye settle on him with shock, "...Gale, where are they both? Are they still in the house?"

"What?"

"Elliot and your wife...they're still in the house..."

"What house?" Arno said, "Ice, there is no house, you're in a forest."

Ice Cream looked at him with wide and wild eyes.

"They're in the house, Gale."

Arno's eyes darted to the side for danger. He had to get them both out of here, sane or not.

"Ice Cream, you've been hurt, I need to...," Arno said before he knew exactly where to take him, "Come, there is cover not far from here. You'll be safe."

"...Smoke...I can't breathe, Gale. I can't breathe!" Ice Cream sobbed suddenly in a gasp, eyes unfocused and wild.

"Ice Cream, you've hit your head," Arno said sternly yet gently, trying to get through to him, "You're confused."

"....Ice Cream...?" Ice whispered, eyes wide with confused horror, "What Ice Cream?"

"What?"

"My baby...," Ice Cream sniffed, eyes vacant and moist, "I don't want Ice Cream, Gale, I want my child...why can't I find him?! Why is there smoke everywhere?!"

Arno, realizing the man was becoming more hysterical the longer they stood there and that they were very much out in the open, gently pulled a confused Ice Cream towards the small rock space to hide them.

"Come, we'll find...we'll find your baby," Arno said pulling the man to walk, thinking if he played along then that would move the Assassin faster.

"...I can't find him, Gale. Elliot is not out of the house yet...where is he...where's Juliet, I can't see her...," Ice Cream continued to blather, eyes rolling around in a dazed panic, "...You need to go back in, save them! Leave me!"

"Ice there is no smoke here, you're hallucinating. You've hit your head-"

"They're still in the house, Gale," Ice Cream said in a low voice, giving Arno a thousand mile stare.

"Then let's try getting them out," Arno offered, hoping his acting skills were up to par.

"....I don't want to lose...don't want to lose any of my children again, Gale...," Ice Cream stopped on the path looking petrified, drawing in a disturbingly anguished breath, "I want my baby-"

Arno stopped listening.

"Here," Arno said flatly as they finally reached the cold and damp space. He took off his own blue coat and wrapped it around the man's naked chest, as Ice Cream sat down, back against the small cave's cold wall, "This will stave off the chill."

"The house is gone now...my baby...where's my baby, Gale...?" Ice Cream asked the air at large, eyes leaving Arno. "Gale? Where's Juliet? Where's Elliot?"

Arno, his body still sore and thus not adding to his mood, didn't reply as he checked for any more injuries that the Assassin had obtained. The blood on the man's chest had indeed not been Ice Cream's own for he couldn't see any wounds. His head, however, was another story. The Lock Picker had begun to quietly repeat himself over and over again as Arno continued his examination.

"Shit, why the hell did I think that would work?" Arno said to himself under his breath, regretting his ploy of throwing the leather tube back into the crypt, hoping that mist monster, or what ever it was, had gotten a thug or two. Arno took off his red neck tie and folded it into a pad, placing it against Ice Cream's head. "Now, hold it still."

Ice Cream slowly nodded, a hand lazily pushing onto the make-shift-gauze, eyes opening and closing drowsily, his chanting for Gale continuing.

Arno crouched next to his friend and peeked from out of the small shelter. Shit, what was he to do? He could leave Ice here, but then the man might start seeing things again and wander off. If he could even stand; that head didn't look good. He heard a shuffle from behind and looked over his shoulder to see Ice Cream staring off in a dream like state at something on the wall opposite, a smile on his face.

"Juliet...you got out...oh, I'm so happy to see you again...wait here please. Gale...Gale...!" Ice Cream said, weakly beckoning Arno with a hand, "...Gale, your wife's here...she will want to say hello. He misses you so much, Juliet. We both do...is little Elliot with you? Tell him, he's going to have a sibling soon-"

Arno turned back to sentry duty. Poor Ice. Whatever he was talking about was obviously private memories. Of Gale, or rather Axe, which grabbed his interest. He shouldn't listen in but he had wondered just how Axe and Ice knew each other. Juliet was Axe's deceased wife; Ice had told him such back at the cafe. Elliot he didn't know who that was, but...well, best to leave the man to his visions, Arno thought. But wait, Ice had a kid? Arno began to wonder who the mother could be-

A flashback of standing in front of the painted images of Salmacis and Hermaphroditus, back in that trap infested tomb, came to him. The new light that he had seen Ice in...

Arno shook his head.

No, that was silly. Sure the Lock Picker was soft spoken, and had very curved hips, but Ice Cream wasn't a woman...was he?

"Gale~," Ice Cream sighed in nearly a song from behind the Ex-Templar, "My head itches...do you have lice again?"

Arno turned his attention back to scanning the edge of the ravine, leaving his comrade to his illusions. How the hell were they both meant to climb back up the hill-

There was a small rustle of leaves off to his right and Arno's senses zeroed in on it. Expecting to see Blue Hat, he was relieved to see nothing more menacing then a startled badger scramble out of the bushes and dive back into another one. The Ex-Templar snapped his hidden blades back with a deep scowl as he re-evaluated the past few hours.

He still couldn't believe who Blue Hat was. All this time he assumed it was just some derailed past acquaintance of Axe, even at a wild guess was one of their relatives. But no. Obviously the man was a Templar. Why did it take him so long to clock that it was _his_ Templar mentor that they were up against?

Arno scoffed, scratching his chin.

Frank.

Good old, Frank.

Sure, Arno thought to himself while shivering slightly in the breeze with no jacket on, the man had a bit of a dark sense of humor but he was no sadistic murderer. But then, what were Assassins and Templars doing to each other all the time? Arno crossed his arms and shoved his palms under each arm pit, trying to keep in some amount of warmth, feeling his right trouser pocket heavy. Well, at least all was not lost. A thousand questions were whirling around in his mind. But one in particular was gaining more attention than the others. Axe had taken him on without question. Ice Cream had been equally accepting. It was only Green Coat that took huge umbridge to the fact an Ex-Templar was in their circle. He hated to think it...but now it seemed the truth behind his "acceptance" was more calculated that he first thought. Since hearing about the "stable incident" that so harrowed the lovers and Axe, throw into the mix Axe's loss of loosing his wife and family...it never occurred to him that this could all be linked. He, for his part, just wanted to join the other side and try and repair the damage he had done in the short time he was trained in the Order. His thoughts went to Elise. Arno thanked the Gods that he got out just as his mentoring had finished. He wished he could find her quicker...

He looked over his shoulder, not hearing any more mutterings and saw Ice Cream had fallen asleep, his chest rising and falling. He worried himself if the man should sleep with a concussion. Well, as long as the man was alive then that was all that mattered. As for Ice Cream asking where his baby was...Arno yawned quietly, putting it down to something that happened in the ginger's past. He never really knew what the deal was behind Ice's past but respectfully left it alone-

_"Ice Cream... can I ask a personal question?" Arno said, looking down at the table, worrying his brow._

_"Of course," the man said, not looking at Arno as he took a cloth and started to wipe the spoon._

_“...do you have a family?"_

_Ice Cream looked up at him with those blue eyes._

_“I mean, I had...," Arno said, picking up a piece of sugar himself. "Before I was adopted by the Templars...”_

_“Did you consider them your family?” Ice Cream asked._

_“...once upon a time,” Arno said truthfully._

_“As I did mine.”_

Arno frowned at the memory. Why was Ice Cream calling out for their leader in particular? Arno looked out from their small shelter. He hoped to God that Axe, or rather Gale, was safe with the others. It was around ten minutes later, still deep in thought, that he heard his name being called.

"...Arn...Arno...?"

"Ice Cream?"

"Arno, what...," Ice Cream said, his eyes now bright and present, the gauze having fallen off his head, "What...what happened? What's going on? Where am I?"

"I found you. Near here. You've been struck in the head."

Ice Cream reached up and touched the back of his skull before wincing harshly. "Bloody hell...," he said looking at the red evidence on his fingers, then added, pulling the borrowed blue coat more around himself, "...the fight, where is everyone? Are they alright? Where's Green Coat? Francois-?"

"I've only seen you," Arno said quickly to pacify the Lock Picker, "...What happened up there?"

Ice Cream looked away, thinking.

"Blue Hat's men...they went after the tube, down into the crypt, including him. We fought the other grunts...and...I saw Francois run into the forest with Henri. I remember as I wanted to know the boy was safe...I couldn't see Green Coat...I went to find him, then...well I guess I got struck as then I don't remember anything else..."

Ice Cream fixed him with a sly smirk.

"Your plan worked by the way."

"Hmm?"

"Throwing the lion into that hole," Ice Cream said with a hint of an impressed air, "There were a whole lot of Templar screams coming from it."

"Figured we could use the extra help," Arno shrugged, flicking a too curious spider off of his shoulder, "...from whatever that mist was. Seeing as only we knew of it."

"Hmm, clever," Ice Cream nodded with a smile before raising a auburn eyebrow eyebrow, "How did you find me?"

"By sheer luck. You were wandering."

"Wandering?"

"As in walking. Babbling. Alone with no boots on."

Ice Cream looked down at his bare and dirty feet, let out a subdued sound of shock before his blue eyes turned to worry.

"You said I was...babbling?"

"Oui."

"...what was I saying?"

"You were calling out for someone called Gale," Arno ventured, before pausing seeing sudden suspicion in the ginger's eyes, "Axe's real name, I presume? I over heard you both yelling back in the trap."

Ice Cream nodded after an identical pause before looking highly uncomfortable.

"Did I...did I say anything else about Axe?"

"No, but..., " Arno said as he scratched at his neck. God, he hoped this cave wasn't infested with fleas. The spiders were enough.

"You were calling for your baby, people called Juliet and Elliot and you kept calling me Gale."

Seeing the look of shock on Ice's face made Arno regret being so honest. Arno forced himself to chuckle, "Really hit your head hard there, my friend."

"Oui," Ice awkwardly chuckled, suddenly scratching the side of his nose, looking away. "Ghosts of the past, I'm afraid."

Arno smiled with a nod, vowing not to mention the smoke.

"Did you see where any of the others went before you were conked on the head?"

"No," Ice said looking distracted, "No, just...I know Francois got away with Henri and last I saw Axe and Green..."

Arno nodded as he took this all in.

"Where did _you_ go?" Ice Cream asked, gathering up Arno's red scarf, shaking it of leaves and placing it back on his hurting head.

"Master Connor threw me down here," Arno snorted, hands on hips before flicking another curious spider from off his shirt, "For some odd reason."

"...Oui, odd..."

"Not to worry, with that mist thing, it should have leveled the Templar numbers. I'm sure the others are alright, we are Assassins after all," Arno said, trying to believe himself. Christ, there were a lot of spiders in here-

"Arno...may I ask a favor?"

"Sure."

"Let's not tell anyone what I said. Even to Axe."

Arno looked up from trying to get an earwig from off his trousers to a slightly smirking and embarrassed Lock Picker.

"People already think I'm insane."

"Fair enough," Arno said with a frown, flicking the annoying bug from off his person, "But I don't think you're crazy. Just banged your head is all-"

They both heard the sharp crumpling of leaves.

Arno, without thinking, engaged a hidden blade, blew his cover and-

The two men stared at each other.

Green Coat's wide eyes met the near tip of Arno's hidden blade as Arno's eyes met the barrel of a gun. It took a few seconds for the Assassins to realize it really was them.

Arno let out of breath and hung his head before laughing, retracting his blade, "I...ha, I very nearly stabbed you."

"And I nearly shot you," a dirty looking Green Coat said with exhaustion as he put the pistol away at his hip and saw who was at the back of the small cave.

Arno moved aside without being asked. "I found... ," Arno said, but then let it trail off as he moved to the side, still looking out from under the rocks for any assailants behind as Green Coat crawled into their mini cave.

"Fucking hell, Ice, I've been looking for you everywhere-," Green Coat said with utter relief, starting to tend to his lover.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Ice Cream breathed as he gulped in air. "Arno found me...just hit my head..."

"Where are the others?" Arno quickly asked over his shoulder at his peer, still keeping watch. He could see the Green Coat's forehead injury had semi opened again with nasty scratch marks around the Lock Smith's eyes from the creature.

"God knows," Green Coat grunted, not taking his eyes off of his lover, "I left Axe with-"

There was another crunch of leaves and the three men's eyes connected.

"You were followed," Arno mouthed at Green Coat.

The dark haired Assassin slowly pulled out his pistol, moving his body protectively over Ice Cream's, eyes fixated on the small cave's entrance as Arno tried to see who it was, hidden blade out. After a few incredibly tense seconds, Green Coat saw Arno's shoulders relax.

"All clear," Arno said, nodding to someone outside.

"Who is it?" Green Coat asked, not moving from his protective stance over Ice Cream.

"And that makes six," a tired and gravely voice said as a man crouched down with some difficulty to peek under the large boulder, "All of us accounted for."

"Good to see you too, Monsieur Henri," Arno said, his hidden blade snapping back. He saw the man's eyes go from himself to the other two at the back.

Green Coat met that stare with his own fierce one as Ice Cream moved slightly from under the Assassin, craning his neck to make eye contact with Henri.

"Is Francois alright?

Henri nodded, adding, "Come, our brothers are nearby."

~

The four men moved slowly through the woods and around the ravine, led by a surprisingly fast moving Henri de la Vert. His walking stick was gone but the man still had a bit of a limp. It was half an hour later they made contact with the other Assassins and settled into camp. Each man filled the group in on their part of the fight, including the tomb, trap and that mist creature, until three hours had passed, with Master Connor later catching up to them, blooded and bruised. The Templars had left with their prize, he had told the throng of tired and injured men. Not that the Assassins with him hadn't tried to get the lion back from the Templars or the crypt but they were beaten back. And the Assassins had suffered no losses.

The group were now sitting by the fire, digesting the events as the night rolled on. Coming up with theories about the tomb and what action needed to be taken next. But there was one Assassin who chose to sit alone, much to Green Coat's anguish.

Ice Cream sat further down the hill, back lying against a rock. A small personal fire crackled and popped near his feet. His head had been bound up with a fresh bandaged and he had scoffed to himself that he and Green Coat now had matching head wraps. The Assassin sat deep in thought, head smarting slightly now. He sunk down further into the borrowed emerald colored coat, willing the world to give him some peace. That medicine Arno had given him a while back for gut worm he had been given once again by the same man. Arno had voiced to him that his stomach was ever so slightly swollen and Ice had made some excuse up but took the medicine bottle anyway with thanks. He had recognized it as a sedative, drunk half, feeling the numbing effect coming on within his head.

He stubbornly ignored a pang of worry over his abdomen.

The ginger gently moved a wandering insect from off his hip before he saw the small flower that still, through out everything, had clung onto his sash, now looking smashed to hell and back; the petals having all been pulled out by the force of the water back in the trap. Or from the fight. He couldn't remember. Ice Cream sighed to himself. His uniform, and that of Axe's, were gone. And too was that small scrap of blanket he held so dear-

"Why did that man call you Iris?"

Ice Cream ignored the voice and instead slowly pulled out that flower stem from his sash, twirling it around in his fingers.

"I said," Francois, standing his ground, repeated a bit more forcefully when Ice Cream didn't acknowledge him, "Why did that man call _you_ Iris?"

Ice Cream didn't move as he continued to twirl the stem between his thumb and forefinger, watching the flames dancing behind it. He couldn't and, to be honest, didn't want to talk. His head smarted like a bitch and he had to digest the days events. But the man was finding it difficult. He had assumed being next to or talking to Green Coat would have done the trick, but no. Even the warmth of his Assassin lover near him as Master Connor de-briefed them all wasn't banishing the day's events from him. He felt sick deep in his guts and nearly laughed to himself that it seemed like a normal thing now-er days. Along with his hard stomach. He had to numb himself which was partly why he had decided to sit away from the group. Ice Cream coughed and pulled the jacket more around himself, wishing his partner's scent to calm him. The ginger had to speak to Axe when he could get the man alone. He had let slip to Arno in a concussion induced state a _very_ private part of his and Axe's history that he did not want exposed. But then would Arno say anything? Ice Cream felt doubt rising. He didn't want to worry Axe about it, the man had enough on his plate. And now with Francois here...Ice Cream couldn't defend his mental state anymore.

"You know for ages I didn't understand why you said you were sorry," the boy accused, eyes red from crying hours earlier after the shock of the fight, "Do you remember? That day when I knocked on your door to find you in a state. You hugged me telling me you were sorry. And I didn't know what the hell you meant," Francois continued to say, voice faltering slightly as he stood over a sitting Ice Cream. "Why you said "I know things that will spin your head right round."

Ice Cream stared at the flowerless stem, twirling around and around. Even though there were no petals, it was still a beautiful thing. He caught sight of his naked feet. Damn he would have to buy new boots if they couldn't find them-

"Then, you bizarrely asked me about Hermaphrodites. For days I puzzled why you brought up such a subject while trying to get the image and sounds of you and Monsieur Green Coat sinning out of my head."

The flower continued to twirl. How the hell had he lost his footwear?-

"I didn't want to believe the far fetched conclusion that haunted me. Of how effeminate you are."

Ice Cream began to wonder how fast he could twirl the flower before the stem snapped in half.

"I knew you were different from the other Assassins," Francois said, annoyed at seeing the ginger in Green Coat's clothes, spinning a flower stem back and forth in his fingers, "Which is why I held so much respect for you. But I can no longer deny my suspicion."

Ice Cream felt the Novice walk over to his side and crouch down. He felt the boy's face near his and turned his copper head to face the potential threat with a face devoid of all emotion.

Francois eyes were on fire. Blue eyes searing into his own, angry and demanding.

"...are you really a woman?"

There was a long pause before Ice Cream replied.

"What do _you_ think I am?"

Ice Cream saw Francois's nostrils flare.

"Oui, Francois, I know things that will shock you," he said, still twirling the flower in his fingers, "Things that I've kept to myself to save _you_ the pain of knowing. So that you may have a normal life within societies stupid norms. So that others might not punish you because of who I am. I should say...," Ice Cream continued saying into the face of a seething Francois, "...that I regret ever coming back into contact with you. But I know if I was to say such a thing it would be the biggest lie I've ever told."

"Why...," Francois repeated, clenching his teeth, "....did that man call you Iris?!"

"Because it was the name I was given when I was born."

"...no..."

"Because it was the name I had when I met your father."

Francois grabbed Ice Cream's upper arm, green material balled into a fist.

"No, you're lying!"

"And because," Ice Cream said finally giving up with a sigh and throwing the stem into the fire, "it was my name when I handed you over for adoption."

Ice Cream let the attack happen.

Francois launched himself at the Assassin, pushing him onto his back and punching frantically at the man's face, chest, arms; anything he could reach. Normally, the other Assassins would have ran over and stopped the emotional boy.

But none saw or heard.

~

Francois hated how slightly shocked the Assassin looked as he held his arms up to protect his face and how that same Assassin wasn't fighting back. He had lamented at length everything that Ice Cream had said to him over the days, months and past year. How he was genuinely confused as to the man's words and actions. How he was initially excited to be trained by him, then the feeling of sadness of being ignored, then the shock of his relationship with Green Coat and finally the gut wrenching feeling of helplessness when that Templar used him as a hostage. But everything trumped how he felt when Ice Cream, after decking a thug, had ignored Blue Hat and ran over to him, throwing his body over his own when another goon went to smash his skull in. Ice Cream had thrown him to the side and taken the hit, giving him enough time to run. He saw that thug go to smash Ice's head a second time before he was downed by a pistol shot to the head from Green Coat. Ice Cream had saved his life. And Green Coat had fought to protect his fallen partner with tooth and nail. As he was pulled away by Henri, he remembered seeing Green Coat trying to revive Ice Cream before he had to defend them both as Blue Hat descended on him. Francois felt gratitude, awe, and brotherly love but there was one subject that confused him and wouldn't leave no matter what, which wasn't the obvious. Instead of still being upset at finding Ice Cream fornicating with another male Assassin was the subject of Hermaphrodites.

This truly baffled the teen.

Pinning the word "sin" to Ice Cream and Green Coat's devious actions down by the river was easy. As was his reaction towards Green Coat. He didn't have any real stake in a friendship with the moody Assassin. He didn't care what that man did much. But what he did care about was the man he looked up too. Ice Cream had been someone who he had tried to emulate. To be like. A role model. It was just an incredible stroke of luck that he physically resembled the Assassin. But as he sat shaking from the aftermath of the Templar and Assassin fight, being calmed down by Monsieur Henri de la Vert, he realized who Ice had been called. Breathing calming, and limbs soothing as time passed but within his own head more and more evidence came together to support this odd conclusion that he had denied all this time.

That Ice Cream wasn't a man.

That Ice Cream wasn't a woman.

That he was, in fact, a hermaphrodite.

Which was impossible...wasn't it?

If it was true...and his birth mother was called Iris...he couldn't deny how people would say he looked just like Ice Cream...and how the years matched up...

It just needed Ice Cream to confirm it.

Which he had just done.

And the confusion turned to anger.

"NO! NO! NO! You're a liar! You're a liar! You're not my mother!" Francois screamed and continued to shout as he pushed and shoved at that strong chest, fighting with the man's arms to punch his face again, but it wasn't for long. The teen began to tire as emotions began to take over. He cried, tears flowing from already red eyes as he weakly hit shoulders and arms with a half-hearten thwack of a punch.

"No....no...you can't be...you can't be..."

~

Ice Cream felt something heavy flop onto his chest, forcing the air out of him. He gasped and tentatively moved his sore arms apart from his face and saw the boy was sobbing against his chest, repeating "no no no" over and over again. Ice Cream didn't know what the correct thing to do was but knew exactly what his instincts were telling him to do. He slowly let his arms enclose around Francois's sides and back as the teen cried. The boy's shoulder blades tensed suddenly before ever so slowly relaxing as he continued to cry loudly. Ice Cream felt himself shaking with adrenaline as the boy sobbed uncontrollably. As he held the teen the full realization that he had just made contact with his first born son hit him. Ice Cream felt his own chest constrict, corners of eyes hot and watery as he held that once tiny baby to his chest, screwing his eyes shut, head back on the dusty forest ground. He forced his eyes to open, gritting his teeth as a deep guttural sob tried to force it's way out of his mouth. He stared up at the sky, green and yellows streaking across the horizon, as the teen's sobbing continued, knowing that finally they both knew the truth.

~

"I am neither male nor female, but rather both. I appear somewhat male...but I bleed with the waxing moon like women...and I once could give life."

 Ice Cream and Francois was sitting alone by their own private campfire as insects buzzed and curious moths darted around the firelight. The aching Assassin had answered Francios's questions about his life growing up, how being duel-natured had and had not influenced certain parts of his life. Each was too tired and emotional spent to care about offending anymore so the truth flowed freely. Francois, in return, had explained how when the Assassins had left the tavern, he was knocked over the head and kidnapped; bundled off in a carriage by a pack of thugs. Peter having been knocked out and left. He assumed his friend was alright, seeing as they left him on the floor of the tavern. He'd wake up with a nasty bump to the head and Francois gone. The thirty seven and nineteen year olds sat quietly from time to time, taking all this in.

"Looks like there is an epidemic of bumps-to-the-head going round, huh?"

Francois smiled and chuckled, "Oui..."

"Obviously I keep my nature close to my chest," Ice Cream said quietly, scratching under the bandage around his head, "It's not that people are mean it's that they don't understand folks like me exist."

"I being one of them," Francois said sadly which earned a soft pat on the back from Ice Cream.

"I'm not the only intersex Assassin, either," the ginger said, putting his hand back on his lap.

"Really?"

"Oui, there is another. But for their privacy...I can't say their name."

The two were comfortably quiet for a while, sitting together, side by side, both staring into the crackling fire.

"So...you have...a-"

"Penis?"

Francois paused before he nodded.

"Once. Was more for decoration in all honesty. Silly thing didn't even work properly..."

At the confused look from the boy, Ice Cream furrowed his brow in thought.

"Think of me as...as a man with a vagina."

Francois nodded thoughtfully again before he looked embarrassed.

"You want to know how I lost it, don't you?" Ice Cream softly said, a friendly eyebrow up at the teen.

Francois paused once more before nodding slightly.

"...that man who held you hostage?"

Francois nodded.

"He took it from me."

"Took it?!" Francois blurted looking horrified.

"Oui..." Ice Cream said looking back into the fire, deep in thought, "When I first joined the Assassins. Myself and Green Coat got into a fight. Not with each other, mind. But...well," Ice Cream said with an awkward smile, "Templars are a sneaky bunch. He attacked us at the HQ and...it was taken."

A dark smirk crossed Ice Cream's face.

"I took something from him, too."

"Oh?"

"Notice he was missing an ear?"

Francois's mouth dropped open.

"You did that?"

"With these very teeth."

"...blimey...that must have been some fight."

Ice Cream sucked in a breath and gave a tight smile.

"Oui."

"...what...what happened to Monsieur Green Coat?"

Ice Cream was quiet for a while.

"...it's best you ask him."

"Understood..."

The two were silent.

"I'm sorry," Francois said, gazing up at the taller man.

"It's alright, you weren't there-"

"No, I mean-yes-no...," Francois said trying to gather up his words, "I mean about everything I've said to you. My mother used to say I was hot headed like my father. Shout first, ask questions later."

"I accept your apology," Ice Cream said softly with a smile, "If you will accept mine."

"Huh?"

"I...," Ice Cream said, before he realized he was about to mention Henri. His gut told him to hold it. The boy knew, as far as Ice had told him, his birth father was an Assassin but the boy hadn't asked further.

Ice Cream swallowed.

"...I should not have shouted at you before we departed. And I should have held my tongue when you accidentally mixed up the mess tins. I've...," Ice Cream continued looking down at his clothed but hard stomach, "I've not been feeling well. Everything got on top of me. I'm truly sorry, Francois."

The teen smiled at the Assassin before nodding. He then held out his hand.

"Clean slate?"

Ice Cream paused, surprised for a moment before he smiled, shaking the offered hand warmly. Francois wasn't the nervous teenager he had first met anymore. He was becoming a man and was pleasantly surprised and relieved that he was taking everything in so well. Ice Cream prayed that it continued.

"Oui, a clean slate. Assassin to Assassin."

"I'm not an Assassin yet," Francois smiled sheepishly, obviously glad to still be considered one as the handshake finished.

"Yeah you are," Ice Cream smirked, gently elbowed him in the side, playfully, "All that's missing is a sash."

Francois laughed before a seriousness fell upon his face.

"You said my...my birth father was an Assassin?"

Ice Cream picked up a stray stick and threw it into the fire.

"Oui, I did," the Lock Pick Assassin said, mentally preparing himself.

"...can you tell me about him?" Francois asked looking to Ice Cream, "Where he is? Why you both split up?"

Ice Cream let the questions hang in the air as he gazed deeply into those blue eyes. He needed to tell him. Had too. Francois was owed the truth, so with a huge intake of breath, Ice Cream opened his mouth to begin from the start-

"He's dead," an old gravely voice interrupted suddenly from the side, "He died just before you were born."

"Wait, Monsieur," Francois said turning to the old Assassin who had appeared on his other side, shuffling slowly towards their small camp from out of the darkness, "...you knew my father?"

"Henri-?" Ice Cream began but the old man put a hand up.

"Yes, Francois I, ah, knew your father," Henri de la Vert said as he carefully sat down next to the boy, his red traveling cloak spilling out across the ground, "He was indeed an Assassin. A highly ranked one, too."

"He was?" Francois said, wide eyed with awe.

Ice Cream stared, slightly open mouthed, not seeing Francois look back at him for confirmation then back at Henri.

"How did you know my father, Monsieur de la Vert?"

"I traveled with him on missions. But I never knew he had a son," Henri said, poking the fire with his walking stick, "He died while saving my life during an avalanche in the Alps. I owe him my life."

"...what was he like?"

"He kept to himself most of the time," the elder Assassin said before he chuckled, "Stubborn bugger, would never listen to anyone. Don't know how you put up with him, Ice Cream."

Ice Cream couldn't look away.

"But I know one thing. If your father was here now, Francois," Henri said kindly, looking seriously at the boy, "...he'd say how proud he was to know that his son turned out to be you."

~

Green Coat kept quiet, standing in the shadows of the forest, away from the family but watching intently. Ice Cream was sat on one side of Francois with Henri on the other. He expected to feel sick. To feel anger, jealously and hatred but he felt nothing. A numbness, an odd sense of calm fell upon him as he saw Ice Cream's family. He watched at how Francois asked questions, what they were though he couldn't hear. He watched their mouths move, each in a subdued manner, with Francois looking to Ice Cream frequently, whom would nod. Probably at something Henri said. The numbness gave way to a feeling of sadness. Sadness not that he wasn't part of the discussion, but because in that moment he could literally see what might have happened. What _should_ have happened. And that sadness was all for Ice Cream. Sadness for the loss of a family that could have been. Green Coat sucked in a breath, his throat starting to hurt when he realized he wasn't welcomed, wasn't meant to be privy to this. He turned away, ignoring a hint of shame, and walked into the black forest with a thought deep in his gut that he agreed with; If Ice Cream and Henri wanted to be a family with Francois, he wouldn't stop them. And the fact he held no resistance to this disturbed the young man. But it was true. As much as he loved Ice Cream, the man deserved to be happy however, and with whom ever, he choose.

Green Coat looked up at the main camp fire glowing across the way and suddenly didn't want to be near anyone. He changed direction and sat down on a rock in the darkness, listening to the sounds of the forest. He hunched over, elbows on knees, rubbing his hands over his face, feeling the edges to his forehead wrap. He felt the breeze through his white shirt but it didn't bother him. He was too preoccupied to care. His cheeks smarted from the claw marks that that...thing had made, but thank God they were literally only skin deep. His head, he didn't know, as the fresh and clean binding on his forehead hid any evidence.

Green Coat stared at the ground near his feet, his chest clenching painfully. Would Ice Cream really leave him to be with Henri and their child? A nervous sense of anxiety on the fringes fizzed in his stomach. But then having a ghost trying to blind you didn't help one's digestive tract, either. Or meeting that monster, "Blue Hat" Frank. Green Coat narrowed his eyes as he remembered how the bastard had grabbed his black hair, trying to yank him off of protecting an unconscious Ice Cream. Green Coat didn't know why it was the first thing that came to mind, but he had turned and sunk his teeth deep into that monster's thigh, loving how the man howled in surprised pain. With the distraction, Master Connor had some how managed to drag Ice Cream from Green's grasp and carry him to safety. The next few moments were a blur with Frank socking him in the side and punching him in the face. But he kept his jaw locked, hearing the ripping of the fabric as his teeth pulled. Only a heavy punch in the stomach made him gasp and involuntary let go. How he didn't loose any teeth was a miracle.

Green Coat spat onto the floor.

He'd rather sink his teeth into rotting meat then do that ever again. But for Ice Cream he'd do it a thousand times over.

The Lock Smith looked over his shoulder at where the family were. He couldn't see or hear if they were still talking. He blinked sadly, shoulder length black hair hiding his face.

Ice Cream should have had that family with Henri. Not him. Their age gap of fifteen years should have seen to that. Green Coat didn't want too but he looked up at the Northern Lights still playing out in the night time sky. Probably a lingering effect from when Ice or Axe had put the diamond in the Lion's eye and saved his sorry skin. A sick smile crept across his face. Too bad those Templars who chose to go down into the crypt didn't know what would make that creature fuck off. Shame Frank didn't go to his over due death with them.

"Smart move," Green Coat said to himself, aimed an imaginary Arno. He didn't think the idiot had it in him, but...But damn it, now they didn't have the lion or the diamonds.

He scowled.

For fuck's sake, there could have been another way to deal with that fight, why the hell did Arno have to throw the lion back into the crypt? Sure it may have thinned out the Templar herd, but now the Assassins were set back. No lion. No diamonds. Nothing. Green Coat looked down at his feet with a deepening scowl. If only they had the sodding beast-

There was a shadow over him.

Green Coat ever so slowly looked up from between his lanky ink coloured hair and saw his lover's husband. He held his ground as Henri de la Vert stood like a giant bear over him. Shit he didn't have his hidden blades on him.

Neither of them said anything as they regarded each other. Green shimmering light fell and cast odd shadows throughout the trees around them until one Assassin broke the silence.

"I saw what happened during the fight, Vincent."

Green Coat wasn't surprised Henri knew his true name.

"...and I saw the way you were in that small cave."

Green Coat continued to stare hard, not moving, as Henri nodded at the younger Assassin.

"...I will not challenge your union."

Green Coat continued to stare into the empty space as Henri moved off past him and away, shuffling down the small hill back to camp, disappearing out of sight. Green Coat stared, unblinking, into air before his vision blurred and he let out a sudden and loud shaking breath, terror making his limbs shake faintly at the confrontation. Did...did Henri de la Vert just give his...his blessing? To being with Ice Cream?! The twenty-two year old Assassin didn't move for the longest of times, breathing heavily, before he couldn't stand it any longer. He moved off swiftly. He had to find Ice Cream. It was a short time later he found him. The ginger's personal fire had been snuffed out and he was now back at the main camp, standing and looking deep into the fire, arms crossed. The sight of Ice Cream in his own green jacket warmed his chest.

"...hey," Green Coat said, as he reached the fireside.

"Green, I...!" Ice Cream started, blinking, "Pardon, I was off in my own world."

"No trouble at all."

The two reached for each other, a hand each finding the others and squeezing. Both knew strange Assassins were sleeping nearby, which canceled out any more affection.

"How are your scratch marks?"

"Still there," Green Coat joked and shook his head when Ice Cream began to take off his green jacket, "Keep it. Until we find you a new uniform."

They were silent, both standing by the fire when Green Coat looked away before leaning in close.

"...I want you in arms so bad-"

"You have no idea what it's taking not for me to let you," Ice Cream whispered back, looking over his shoulder at the sleeping and unfamiliar Assassins around them, "I'm on duty, though. Arno should be relieving me soon. We can have some privacy then."

For once in his life, Green Coat wanted to see his idiotic peer. Before another question made itself known and Ice Cream saw it before his lover could open his mouth.

"Henri's gone," Ice Cream said firmly, looking back into the fire, arms crossed.

"... _gone_?" Green Coat asked, a dark eye brow raised, noticing something in the tone.

Ice Cream nodded and the two let that subject slide.

The Assassins were silent, standing as near to each other as they could without touching.

"Do you remember, Green," Ice Cream began, still watching the flames with a troubled face, "What Frank said to us?"

"Not really," the dark reply came, "I blank out everything he spews."

"I don't understand why he brought up Frederic," Ice Cream said looking seriously at his lover, "Do you remember?... _"Frederic sends his regards"_..."

Green Coat looked down in thought before raising his eyes back to Ice Cream's.

"What do you think he meant by that?" Green Coat said.

"I don't know," Ice Cream said, "And that's what's scaring me-"

"Well, I spoke to Master Connor," a voice called loudly to their left, "...and they weren't able to over-come 'em or salvage anything back at the crypt's entrance. Some of the Templar's goons managed to escape. Blue Hat included. We had to retreat. Sorry, lads."

The two lovers nodded and watched as Axe and Arno climbed up the small slope to the camp fire, as the bearded man spat into the fire with Arno putting a small black diary into an inner coat pocket.

"Good riddance," the bearded Assassin huffed, "the lot of 'em."

"And to think they have the diamonds _and_ the lion...," Green Coat said with a sour face, looking at the dirt in the semi darkness of the firelight.

"Not quite," Axe said said, with a smirk, showing them his open hand, "Thought one of them fake ones would come in handy one day."

The two Assassins stared, utterly dumbfounded, at a sparkling diamond in the middle of Axe's large palm. They looked to each other before the Lock Picker reacted first.

"AXE!" Ice Cream cried and threw his arms around the man.

"You sneaky bastard," Green Coat smiled widely at the relief the real diamond was theirs and hugged Axe on impulse when Ice Cream had let go, slapping him on the upper arms as they parted as Axe laughed loudly.

"You givin' out hugs, Green? Heaven forbid, what's the world coming too-"

"Piss off, old man," Green Coat laughed.

"...a shame about the lion, though," Ice Cream said, watching as Axe put the dazzling jewel back in his pocket before the nearby Ex-Templar stepped forward, a smile growing wide upon his face. Arno took a small bag out from a pocket at his hip, hefting it in his palm with a cocky smirk.

"I wouldn't be so quick to assume, mon ami."

The Ex-Templar threw the small bag at the nearest Assassin.

Green Coat caught it with a surprised and suspicious look. He narrowed his pewter colored eyes as he opened the draw string carefully with Axe and Ice Cream leaning over his shoulders to see inside, pulling out the heavy and white item within.

~

"Perfect," Frank said, turning each sparkling diamond over in his hands. The dark carriage the Templar was sitting in bumped and shook as it tore down the forest roads towards Paris. Any time soon he would be back at the Templar's HQ and the fun could begin. But what was wrong with having a quick preview before the Order got it's hands on it?

"Now, Big Cat," the vile man grinned with glee, "I want to see your power for myself."

Frank pulled the leather tube from his hip, ripped open the tube's buckle and slid the item out to reveal a half broken copper lever.

_~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Ahh, Arno and Axe; you crafty so-and-so's!
> 
> Pardon lateness, tis the season for multiple weddings @_@


	42. Things Better Left Unsaid

~

There was silence around the four men as they all stared in utter disbelief at the item in Green Coat's hand; a stone carving of a white lion.

"LAD, I COULD KISS YOU! COME 'ERE!"

"No, that's quite alright, Axe-AAH!"

Arno wheezed as the bare chested Assassin crushed the air out of him in a rib cracking hug, pressing thick lips to the sides of his face and, just when the Ex-Templar thought he was free, Ice Cream pounced.

Green Coat paused, catching himself suddenly smiling. He turned quickly, disgusted with himself at having felt that surge of happiness that Arno, of all people, had gotten the lion back. He flicked his eyes to the statue in his hands and looked away with a deep scowl.

"You're the real sneaky bastard!" Axe laughed, making a few of the sleeping Assassins around them stir with the noise as he took the beast from Green's hands and checked the carving over for damage.

"How?!" Ice Cream asked eagerly, eyes wide with excitement, not seeing Green Coat slink off into the shadows, "How did you get it back?!"

"Before we escaped the tomb," Arno said with a painful smile, trying to fill his lungs when his ribs wouldn't smart, "Green Coat broke a lever trying to set you free. I was so exhausted that I accidentally put it into the tube with the lion before we were jumped," Arno smirked with a huff, despite his chest, "...had a feeling everything was going too well."

"And old Franks got the lever Green broke!? HA!" Axe laughed loudly again, shaking his head at the lion before smacking Arno right between the shoulder blades. Arno gasped and took a step back from the man, not wanting any more heavy impacts to his body. He watched as Axe put the valuable carving back into the draw string bag, securing it to his belt. Ice Cream smiled widely again and threw his arms around Arno, who gasped in pain making the ginger Assassin quickly apologize and let go. Arno nodded his thanks. He had been body slammed enough tonight.

"Speaking of which," Axe said when he had finished chuckling and securing the artifact, "Where is our man of the hour?"

The three Assassins turned around to nothing.

"I'll find him," Ice Cream said with a nod, after a long pause, in reply to the identical looks from Arno and Axe, "I've got to give him his coat back, after all."

"Give him my thanks for breaking stuff," Arno smirked as he and Axe set about informing what had happened to the now curious and awake Assassins that were starting to congregate around them.

~

Green Coat huddled away in a borrowed sleeping bag, arms wrapped around himself, ignoring the footsteps near his head.

Ice Cream went to open his mouth but was stopped.

"I'm not sulking," Green Coat mumbled, his back to the Lock Picker, scratching under the linen bandage around his head, "Tired. Too much has happened and I..." he suddenly felt imaginary ropes around his wrists and began to doubt his own sanity, "...I can't think straight anymore."

"...do you want your coat back? It's going to be cold tonight."

"No," came the mumbled reply, "keep it till you find a replacement."

"...and the tools in your pockets?" Ice Cream asked with a raised eye brow, bringing out a snapped pencil between his fingers.

Green Coat didn't reply.

Ice Cream smiled sadly before he quickly looked around for any potential witnesses, putting the pencil back in a pocket. When the coast was clear, he got down on one knee, placed a hand on a shoulder and lent over his lover, gently pressing his lips to the twenty-two year old's cheek. But he wasn't quick enough to get up as Green Coat grabbed the ginger's collar, turned his head and captured Ice Cream's lips with his own. The kiss was fierce but no malice was found. Both Assassins knew it was risky to behave in such a way near others thus they threw all their pent up tension into this one quick action, grateful night time was shielding their behavior.

"Sleep," Ice Cream whispered into Green Coat's ear, sneakily nipping at a lobe hidden by shadows, before the Lock Smith let his grip go. The younger man watched his partner walk away and smiled at the warmth now blooming in his chest at the sight of Ice Cream in his own emerald coloured coat. Nuzzling his head back into the soft sleeping bag and still scratching at that itch under the band at his forehead, the Lock Smith let slumber chase the day away. He ignored the word _Consus_ floating around inside his mind.

~

Ice Cream waited for Axe to finish his conversation with a masked Assassin before he motioned with a nod to the bearded leader.

"He's gone to bed."

"Good," Axe said wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, as he moved up to Ice Cream, "Best we be too. Only a matter of time before Old Frank notices he's been swindled. We move in five hours. You look knackard, I'll take first watch-"

"Actually," Ice Cream began, glancing sideways at the buzz of chatter from excited Assassins near them, before back at Axe, "...may I have a word in private?"

"Of course," Axe said with a blink, as he wiped his nose with a pocket handkerchief and nodded to Arno to keep sentry duty until they got back. Ice Cream then indicated to a quiet area to their left, shaded by dense and dark trees that was far away from everyone.

"Cor, it ain't half chilly tonight!" Axe mentioned, as they walked, "Makes me wanna go back into that sodding tomb and get me jacket back. And I see you're still bootless."

"I'll be alright for now. One of the perks from working on your farm," Ice Cream jested, feeling the forest floor beneath his toes, before scoffing with a laugh, "Huzzah for callouses."

"Still, we need jackets before our next move."

"Can't you borrow one from someone?"

"I have an even better plan," Axe said as they moved further into the forest and out of ear shot, "That Assassin I was just gassing too 'as a couple of spare uniforms on 'im and boots. Hopefully they will fit us in the mean while."

"That's very kind of him," the ginger said, seeing Axe's half naked form faintly shivering, "please give him my thanks. And I won't keep you long."

"No problem. So, what be vexing ya' ?" Axe asked, thick boots crunching leaves under foot. They stopped walking and Axe stuffed the handkerchief back into his pocket, after another blow to his nose, "Your noggin' doin' alright?"

Ice Cream nodded and took in a breath, not sure if his head bandage was constricting more around his skull or if he was just imagining it, "I, erm...when Arno found me, I was talking to myself."

"So I heard," Axe said, scratching at the long scar on his bare chest, "Arno mentioned you were speaking gibberish. I gather a knock to the head did that?"

"...well, it wasn't just that," Ice Cream said with a small cough, "...I was, erm..."

"...?"

"...I was hallucinating. Severely."

"Hallucinating?" Axe frowned.

"Oui," Ice said looking worried, "...about the night of the fire."

Axe narrowed his eyes in concentration, looking highly uncomfortable. He stopped his scratching and placed both hands on his hips.

"Which one? Our one or yours and Vince's?"

"Ours," Ice Cream said sadly, licking his lips, "I have no idea what I said myself, or what Arno may have said to you but..."

Axe tilted his head to the other side as the Lock Picker continued.

"...but apparently I was calling loudly for you and Juliet. And I mistook Arno for you."

"Well, 'tis an easy mistake to make," Axe laughed before it fell flat as he saw the look on Ice's face, "Alright. Why do I think you're gonna tell me something I don't wanna hear?"

"...it must have been just when you pulled me out of the house," Ice Cream said, putting his hands into the deep green coat pockets at his sides, fingers brushing small metal tools, randomly noticing the entire jacket was a little short for him, "I was calling for Elliot, too."

Axe was quiet, before slowly his naked arms folded across his chest, eyes never leaving the other man.

"Did Arno press you on these matters?" Ice Cream asked with a worried frown to break the silence, "I asked him not to mention it."

"No," Axe said, chewing the inside of his cheek, regarding the other Assassin with narrowed eyes, "Just said you were waffling on. Probably, 'e reckoned, about ya' past, but he gave no details. I did wonder if you had let anything slip-"

"He knows Juliet was the name of your wife," Ice Cream said quickly, eyes nervously looking back to the glow of the camp fire, making sure no one was overhearing them, "I mentioned it to him a while back. He asked why you carry that axe. I'm sorry Gale, he was curious, I had to say something."

"You didn't have to say anything-"

"I didn't want him upsetting you. Thought I would give him a prior warning."

Axe didn't reply for a long time before he nodded with an after thought of "thank you".

"As for who Elliot was," Ice Cream continued, eyes scanning the ground and surrounding woods,"...he may put together that it was your son's name."

"Then nothing to worry about," Axe suddenly smiled but it didn't reach his eyes, "Arno knowing about me wife and son don't warrant a lick of worry-"

"I'm scared," Ice Cream whispered quickly again, "...what if I say something near Vincent?"

"...you won't-"

"What if I start talking in my sleep?" Ice Cream whispered frantically, hands in the green pockets balling into fists, "All this time I thought I had buried what happened back on the farm...," the ginger paused and looked down at his hands sweating in the coat pockets, "I can't loose Vincent if he finds out you and I have a past."

"He won't," Axe said, visible annoyance now piercing through his eyes, arms still crossed, "Vince ain't dumb, he knows we've got a past. He just don't know the fine details of how my son came into the world-"

 "It's not Elliot I worried him finding out about," Ice Cream said blinking with horror in his eyes. "Elliot we can explain, but..."

"Meaning?" Axe said in a low rumble.

"Gale," Ice Cream whispered so low he was mouthing, stepping closer to lower the risk of being potentially over heard, "Arno said I kept shouting for "my baby".

The two Assassins were silent until Axe broke the tension.

"Don't worry, doubt he'll give it much thought. If Arno gets to know how you and Francois are connected then the lad will assume you were talkin' about him."

Ice Cream looked away, ignoring Axe's reassurance, before his eyes unfocused at the ground. He swallowed and continued to whisper, "Why?! Why does it take something as trivial as banging my head to let it slip?"

"I wouldn't call that knock to your head trivial, Ice," Axe said pointing at the copper's linen bandaged head before refolding his crossed arms, "Ya' probably still in the middle of a nasty concussion."

"How can you be so  _blasé_ about this?" Ice Cream said so quickly he nearly tripped on his words, "I had no control over what I was saying. What if I get hit again and Vince hears what happened on the farm between us-"

"It never happened between us," Axe said gently, yet almost in a mantra, making Ice Cream stop and stare hard at him, "We agreed on this, over ten years ago, remember? Elliot was me wife's idea, thus planned. As for the other...," Axe trailed off before he sucked in a breath, "No point bringing up the past, especially one that neither of us take any pleasure in talkin' about."

Ice Cream sniffed suddenly, wiping his nose with the back of his hand, breaking eye contact.

"Juliet never, ever, blamed you for that," Axe said seriously into the silence.

The two old friends were quiet for an age before Axe inhaled and exhaled a long breath, looking back to camp.

"I notice Henri's gone."

"We made our peace," the Lock Picker said quietly, taking out that snapped pencil from the green jacket and twirling it around between a thumb and forefinger, trying to ignore water building up at the corners of his eyes or that hot pressure in his chest.

Axe nodded thoughtfully for a while before he smiled.

"Ya' know, earlier I realized something."

"Which was?" Ice Cream said, trying to wipe an eye discreetly with the edge of his wrist, hating how his worry was brushed aside, like so many times before when this rare subject was brought up.

"Alice is fifteen today. God, she looks so much like her mother. Wild brunette hair all over the shop," Axe said looking to the heavens with a fond smile.

Ice Cream smiled, gazing at the pencil, at the mention of Axe's daughter, "I miss her too," he said honestly, trying to make the pencil straight again, "I won't ask you where she is, I know she's safe. And I know I've said this before but..."

Axe looked down from the stars.

"Elliot may not have been called my son...," Ice Cream said, still trying to half heartily fix that broken pencil, feeling like he wanted to be sick again, "But..."

"And considering how me and Frederic found ya', that you'd put yourself through it a second time...for that, I can't thank you enough," Axe said confidently, before nodding to the sky, "Juliet more than me."

Ice Cream gave up trying to mend the pencil and cast his blue eyes up towards the green and yellows snaking across the sky, deep in thought.

"As for what happened after that-" Axe said not meeting Ice's eye.

"It never happened," Ice Cream said quickly, still staring up at the heavens, after a long silence between them, in a hollow and dead voice. The pressure in his chest was stretching up into his throat and burned like he had swallowed a hot poker.

"Aye, it never happened," Axe said, confirming, "Just like we agreed-"

"But it did!" Ice Cream blurted in a hiss, like the very words would burn a hole in his mouth if he said nothing. He tore his eyes away from the Northern Lights and fixed them firmly upon Axe, "Good God, Gale. How long are we going to pretend? The very fact that all it took to publicly drag up the past was a knock to my head prov-"

"Why'd you attack him?"

Ice Cream blinked.

"...w-what?"

"Vince," Axe asked with an iron clad voice, arms still folded and eyes narrowed, "why'd you beat the Seven Bells out of 'im?" 

"...I-I..." Ice Cream stuttered, with confused eyes, trying to process the abrupt turn in conversation. He felt that hot acid swirling around inside his stomach, "I took leave of my senses, I hate to admit. I am not proud. Especially as you know I have no choice in the matter of when I loose it-"

"I said," Axe repeated a bit louder, dark eyes never leaving nervous blue ones, "Why did you attack him?"

Ice Cream forcefully closed his eyes.

"Henri was brought up-"

"Coz' you'd better not be in the same way as when you gave me this 'ere token," Axe said flatly, motioning to the scar on his chest.

The Lock Picker turned his body to fully face the larger Assassin with eyes narrowing and skin pricking in the darkness. He knew what Axe was doing. Trust an Assassin to divert a sensitive conversation. But Ice Cream had not forgotten the last time they spoke and had known his larger friend for far too long to not take it lying down.

"Why the sudden change of topic?"

"I was goin' to keep this under me hat but you frightened him, Ice. Real bad."

"...I know...," Ice Cream said in a small and sad voice, looking away, "We've spoken about what happened."

"Did he mention the warning I gave 'im?"

"Oui...what did you say exactly?"

"I told him you gave me this scar."

"And?"

"That's it."

"I don't believe you," Ice Cream said, feeling his second wind coming, "What did you tell him? Did you tell him everything?"

"I fobbed Vince off that you were sick and that was the reason why ya' went for him," Axe paused, seeming to consider something, before he reached into a back pocket, "But I told him to watch himself around ya' ."

Ice Cream didn't know what to say so he made a face of regret mingled with annoyance before he raised an eyebrow at the taller Assassin.

"Why did you bind his hands?"

Now it was Axe's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Don't be daft, you know why. There was somethin' else in that tomb, that wasn't the mist guard, that took too much of a shine to 'im."

"Consus?"

"Aye, Consus," Axe said, his eyes unfocusing as he went down memory lane, "His father was forever tellin' me and the others back in the day the voice he could hear. We thought 'e were crackers, until he started to talk to thin air and gain intel he shouldn't of."

"You think Vince will be able to do that?"

"I've known for years the sod's been scared of ghosts, I just never cottoned on why," Axe sucked in a breath, ignoring Ice's question, "I had hoped Consus hadn't traveled down the family line, but I had me doubts. That ancient parasite."

Ice Cream remained quiet, his thoughts going to the lion statue and who it was inhabited by.

"Anyway, while we're gettin' things off our chests," Axe said, "I found this."

Ice Cream frowned as Axe handed him a very battered, yet still held together, piece of yellow paper. Black spots peppered the surface where water had disrupted the ink and where the edges had teared. The ginger Assassin slowly took the slightly damp paper from Axe's fingers and carefully opened it. It was the letter Frederic had written to him, asking for himself and Green Coat to become God Parents among other things.

"Where did you get this?"

"Found it swimming in crypt gunk."

"I thought I'd lost it...," Ice Cream said quietly, looking back to the text with a small smile.

"Aside from the fact I'm pleased as punch Fred is confident in you and Green being parents," Axe began, "...I can't 'elp noticing the last line."

Ice Cream looked at the abrupt end of the last sentence and shrugged. "I don't know," he sighed, feeling like his head was on fire, "Says "the Lion has five chances." Of what? Speaking of which," Ice Cream said, now trying to deflect the conversation, "how on Earth did Frederic know the second diamond was here?"

"I ain't talking about that," Axe's voice cut through the air, "I'm talking about why Frederic felt the need to congratulate you in this letter. And I want to know why you've made your relationship with my former student into an abusive one."

"Abusive!?" Ice Cream blanched, his blue gaze confused.

"Aye."

Ice Cream was at a loss for words. He opened his mouth a few times and shut it. Licking his bottom lip he formed an answer.

"We aren't in an abusive relationship, Gale. I'm offended you'd even suggest the mere idea of it. I'd never intentionally hurt him-"

"So either you're lying to me or ya' up the duff."

An unnatural calmness fell across Ice Cream's face as he realized he was being manipulated. He looked back at the letter, feeling his breathing shaking with pure anger. He had had enough of this conversation, wishing that he had never given in to the want to inform Axe of his miss-speaking. Something akin to a bed sounded nice right about now. To steady himself and make that dream a faster reality, Ice Cream began to refold the letter carefully and deliberately.

"Camille and I were talking, privately I might add, about myself and Vincent having children," he said forcing his voice to be steady, as he offered the folded letter back, "I made it very clear where I stood. She suggested we should adopt. Thus, I am assuming that this is what the letter is referring too."

"Oh, really?" Axe said, not taking the letter.

"Really," Ice Cream said in a flat voice, pushing the paper forward more, "People talk, you know that. Camille and Frederic are husband and wife, they talk more than most people."

Axe narrowed his eyes while slowly taking the letter back and Ice Cream, with a sharp flick of annoyance, caught him looking at his stomach.

"I am _not_ with child-"

"Funny," Axe said, putting the paper into a back pocket and returning to crossing his arms, "Your going for Vince has made me think otherwise. Givin' me a flashback, even."

A snap of anger suddenly descended onto the Lock Picker's face as he leaned in closer, his blood having reached boiling point. The ginger noticed in a cool part of his mind how unnaturally quickly he went from calm to rage, hating how the only other times that had happened before, he had been carrying.

"You want to lift up my skirt so badly, go ahead, I won't stop you," Ice Cream said in a deadly whisper, eyeballing the man before he pointed the broken pencil at the Assassin's bearded face, "For we both know it wouldn't be the first time you've made such a visit-"

"I would not," Axe said very calmly as he gently took the snapped pencil from Ice's fingers, "finish that sentence."

Ice Cream's nostrils flared before he broke eye contact.

"You need to be honest with me, Ice, or I can't trust your ability to be part of this group. You've not been right and I'm havin' to draw up me own conclusions on the matter."

"How is that any of your business?"

"It ain't. But we're a team, you seem to forget. If you don't want to talk about it, fine. But know, if you're keeping things from me that could hinder the function of this group, then I'll have no choice but to take matters into me own hands-"

The words were out of Ice Cream's mouth before Axe had even finished his sentence.

"A bit rich coming from someone who won't even acknowledge their own infidelity."

The two were silent. A line had been crossed and Ice Cream, for one stupid moment, was glad he had said it. That pressure had been released but was now eating into this throat like acid. He watched Axe carefully before the gravity of his words began to sink in.

"Last time I remember," Axe said carefully but with a deadly undercurrent that could melt silver, "It takes two to tango, Iris."

Ice Cream felt the regret stab him hard. He swallowed as he felt the need to be ill. The ginger scrambled for something to say, to excuse his words but realized nothing would put the words back into his mouth.

"We _need_ ," the ginger Assassin began, almost desperately, "...to talk about what happened-"

"What good would talking about something we stupidly did a decade ago be, hey?" Axe said with calm but pure anger in his eyes, as he pulled out a line of twine from a pocket at his waist and began to bind the broken pencil together in a straight line.

"To acknowledge it?" Ice said quietly, watching, "To acknowledge the life we created? And who suffered because of it?"

Axe didn't reply as he carefully tied off the string to the pencil.

When Axe didn't reply for the longest of the pauses so far, Ice Cream pulled the green hood up over his head, buttoning up the jacket from the bottom. He almost flinched at the heavy scent of Green Coat from the fabric hit his nose, thinking the man had found them. When he realized this wasn't the case, that smell became a balm.

"Juliet never deserved what we did," Ice Cream said, anger and regret under his breath as he tried to button the stubborn coat, "...even if it was a moment of madness...especially with her being bed ridden for so long...and that poor little one...to this very day," he said, giving up on the top button that was broken, "....I don't even know if it was like me," Ice Cream paused before he involuntarily gasped at the memory. His Assassin training quickly engaged, forcing him to get a hold of his emotions, turning his head away as hot liquid formed. He had to stop this conversation. He had done what he set out to do and inform his oldest friend that he had let slip their past relations to Arno. Damn him for being so bloody honest. Ice Cream said nothing as he looked off to camp. He pulled the green hood mover over his head as small splatter of rain drops began to fall on them both, turning to return to the other Assassins-

"Aye, poor," Axe said, not looking up from his pencil fixing, "She was never meant to be, Ice. Born too early."

Ice Cream paused before he ever so slowly turned back with his blue eyes wide under the green hood, "...she...?" he said in a quiet wonder, "...it...it was a _she_?"

Axe realized what he had done and closed his eyes, licking his lips and biting down on the sting, snapping it in two and tying the excess off. "Aye," he said, closing the gap between them and offering the now mended pencil back to Ice Cream, "I buried her along side them. She's with Juliet and Elliot."

Ice Cream let a small but sad smile on his face as he took the pencil. He slowly rotated the implement before looking up at the greens and yellows across the night sky, deep in contemplation as rain gently fell onto his nose and arms, the pattering sound oddly soothing. The answer to a question he had buried deep into his soul long ago settled nicely against the question of Francois's initial whereabouts.

Ice Cream nodded slowly to himself.

"I look forward to meeting all them again one day."

"As do I," the large Assassin said, "Now get some sleep. And as for Arno, 'e won't blab about what 'e don't know," Axe added, all anger having left his face, replaced with a somber morose, "lest of all to Green."

"I'll take my leave then," Ice Cream nodded, breathing in the relaxing scent of musk from Green Coat's jacket, Axe's revelation playing across his mind gently.

"Our group's leaving for Lyon come first light. Master Connor has already gone ahead to the HQ, so this lot," Axe waved a hand to the Assassins back at camp, "Will join him tomorrow."

"Understood," Ice Cream said then after a pause smiled sadly, eyes now leaving the heavens, his chest feeling lighter, putting the pencil back into a pocket, "Goodnight."

Ice Cream began to move away when Axe's voice caught him.

"Even though she came into this world having already left it," Axe said making Ice Cream stop and look round, "I still grieve too, Ice. For Elliot and me wife, also. And I meant what I said earlier. Juliet forgave you a long time ago."

Ice Cream tilted his head to the side.

"...And did she forgive you?"

"She's and I are still working on that," Axe said, nodding to the huge weapon on his back as the rain began to pick up.

Ice Cream nodded and returned to camp, feeling his chest much lighter than before as mental exhaustion took over.

~

_He walked over to where he had been thrown out and there was the lion statue! He quickly jogged over to it, thankful that it looked like it hadn't been damaged, before picking the figure up from where it was lying on it's side-_

_"What the...?" Green Coat breathed, eyes wide as he slowly stood back up and turned the palm sized statue over in his hands._

_Green Coat looked into it's hollow eyes._

_The statue was snarling._

_"What the hell is going on?"_

_"I could ask you the same," a cruel and familiar voice said as Green Coat spun around just in time to see the butt of a rifle smash into his face._

Green Coat blinked slowly as he came too. He took in a breath but it was painful. With a dry mouth, and incredibly sore eyes, he blinked a few more times before he recognized the tiled ceiling of the infirmary. Why was he here? The last time he had to go to the infirmary was with the flu-

_"I could ask you the same thing."_

Green Coat forgot how to breath.

The stables.

Ice Cream.

Fire.

Green Coat tried to move his jaw, a small sound, that was no where near recognizable a word, gargled out from his mouth. He felt dried blood crusting across his nose from where the butt of the rifle must have smashed into it. He blinked more trying to process what was going on. Looking to his left he saw nothing but an ugly wooden stool with a china water pitcher resting upon it with several bowls. It wasn't until he turned his aching head to his right that he saw.

Ice Cream was flat on his back, eyes closed, resting in a hospital bed near the door. A thick off white blanket was over him and...there was a large red stain on it, directly over where his crotch was.

Terror and memories struck the young man's chest making him involuntarily gasp, his eyes blurring, lights bursting into his vision as he then cried out from the searing pain from behind him. His back began to throb mercilessly and the more he moved the more it hurt. Thoughts began to rampage through his brain, stomping and trampling his coordination. Voices, sounds, smells, one after the other smashed their way through his skull. He had to get away from them. Ice Cream. He needed to get to him. It was the only thing that mattered.

Green Coat looked back up to the heavens and felt his chest constrict sharply with panic rising. The memory and stench of thick smoke clogged his lungs. The pain in his back reaching a crescendo so high Green Coat couldn't stand it anymore.

"AARRGGGH!!" Green Coat screamed and through ungodly willpower, turned over on his side and fell straight out of bed. He hit the stone floor with a loud thud, hearing metal bowls clatter and a pot smash. Water seeped across the grey floor, wetting his shoulder length black hair which stank of smoke. He grit his teeth, making his hearing go near silent, willing himself not to pass out from the searing pain in his back, before he got to the man he'd slept with only the night before.

Ice Cream. He needed to know he wasn't dead. Needed to know he was alright. Oh Gods, this was all his fault. Why did he go after those Novices for putting a lion statue into his bag? The Novices must have seen them. Must have known two Assassins had slept with each other. Oh Gods...

Green Coat moved a sore and stiff arm over the floor, not feeling the broken shards of porcelain jab into his hands, as he crawled over to the bed where the ginger Assassin was. The water from the broken pitcher made the stone slippery, the liquid wetting his knees. He stopped, forcing himself to catch his breath back and pressed his burning forehead to the cold stone floor. Every breath was a challenge as his back burnt-

"....green..."

Green Coat breathed out the pain, looking up, knowing where that voice had come from. He shoved his other arm forward, pulling and pushing his legs to continuing crawling like a pathetic newborn across the infirmary floor. He clenched his teeth and, upon reaching striking distance to the bed, threw an arm around one of the bed's legs, a fist balling into the white sheets as he hauled himself up, feeling like he was on fire.

He flopped his sweating head onto the mattress, letting grunts and whimpers out as he tried to see Ice Cream's face.

"Ice," Green Coat ground out, grabbing with his uncoordinated fingers at the man's shoulder.

Ice Cream very slowly opened up his blue eye. Heavily blood shot, the ginger gently turned his head towards the younger man.

The two Assassins gazed at one another, neither able to verbally communicate.

Ice Cream ever so slowly moved his hand that was closest to Green Coat out of the sheets, pushing it towards the ink strands that were covering the side of the bed and when in range, the younger immediately grabbed onto it like his life depended on it. Green Coat pressed his forehead against Ice Cream's palm, both hands around that still soft peach coloured hand. The stench of smoke lingered on both their bodies, and Green Coat breathed in deeply, hoping with every fiber of his being to smell Vanilla. He let out another gurgled sound as he tried to swallow, the absolute faint aroma of Vanilla gently caressed him from deep within the smoke.

"He said he wanted to hear me scream...," Ice Cream breathed suddenly, as Green Coat pressed his forehead to the man's hand in his own grasp, "...so I bit his ear off."

Green Coat looked up through his damp hair and saw a wide and extremely dark grin on Ice Cream's face. The younger Assassin was floored. Through out everything, the man was still a powerful and wondrous enigma. And he had thrown them both into the pit of danger. By returning into the building and being jumped by the group of Novices that he had seen in the gardens prior. He wanted to say sorry. To apologize on literal hands and knees for not being able to save Ice Cream from his own idiocy and stubborn pride at needed revenge against pranking thieves. The man had trusted him into his intersex secret and through his own petty fights with those Novices...now that secret was known by a whole group that were, in reality, working for the Templars. He should have seen it coming. That there were spies in the ranks. And that blue hatted and cruel monster who commanded the gang had tried to destroy them both. So many things he wanted to say to Ice Cream, so many things he needed to atone for, but he only had the power to say one thing.

"Hold-you," was all Green Coat could ground out through the pain and clenched teeth, accidentally spitting saliva onto the sheets as the pain and regret took over.

Ice Cream tightened his grip on the man's scalp and pulled, gritting his own teeth as the younger man tried to haul his body up and onto the bed, but it was to no avail. Green Coat slid down onto his knees again, with a whimper. Sides breathing hard from the effort, the young man pressed his sweat drenched forehead against Ice Cream's neck, breathing hard with huge gulps of air, his waist pressed against the edge of the bed. The ginger did not let go of that dark hair in his hand.

"I'm-sorry-oh-Gods-I'm-so-sorry," Green Coat stuttered, not sure if he meant only his failure to get up onto the bed, before he began to involuntarily shake, "I-I-can't-feel-my-back,"  Green Coat ground out, shaking from pain, feeling that creeping siren call of blissful unconsciousness. A soothing, breathless voice began chanting in the back of his head. It sounded like his own voice but he wasn't commanding it. It told him to relax and that the damage would be repaired. _Rest now_ , it said. A memory from his childhood was the last thing Green Coat saw before he blacked out. Of his father nodding to air that everything would indeed be alright as long as Consus watched over them.

Ice Cream turned his head to rest the side of it on his partner's damp hair.

"You'll be alright," Ice Cream breathed in a soothing tone, gently stoking the unconscious twenty year old's hair under his fingers, the pitch breaking from within hoarse vocal cords, "We'll be alright. We're Assassins, after all....," Ice Cream said in a whoosh of breath before he too passed out from exhaustion.

~

"Son," Axe said, slapping the Assassin's face gently with the back of his hand, "Son, you with us?"

Green Coast jerked awake, heavily disorientated, with his back itching like crazy and a neck stiff from a night spent kipping on the ground.

"Wha-Ice-I...w-what?"

"We're about to set off for Lyon," Axe said as a horse somewhere behind him neighed, a masked Assassin jumping up onto it's back, "Best get up. And you were twitching like a mad-man. Nightmares again?"

"Oui...," the young Assassin said in a daze. He wanted to see Ice Cream, the post nightmare impulse to know his partner was fine. As he pushed himself up to sitting, Vincent looked for his lover. "...wait, where's the rest?" he asked, as that same masked Assassin nodded to Axe and galloped off into the trees. Green Coat reached behind him under a white shirt and scratched at an intense itch on his back. Damn he must have been bitten by a bug, before something else caught his eye.

"Why are your eyes red?"

"Hmm?"

Green Coat pointed to his own.

"Oh erm, I got a bit of grit in them," Axe said, looking away with a deep sniff and throwing a large bag over his shoulder.

"...what are you wearing?" Green Coat asked gently, knowing Axe had been visibly upset my something.

"New clobber," Axe said proudly, puffing his chest out. The uniform was near identical to his last but the lining of the waist coat was blue, not red. Green Coat was about to give comment but was distracted as a fully dressed and armed Arno in his blue coat, approached with his draw string bag slung over his shoulder. "Fits better than I had 'oped. Me and Ice got lucky, that masked brother had a spare set on 'im. "

"I'm not too sure it's as good as the last batch," Arno said before shooting his peer with a smirk, "I think Ice Cream looks better, though. Don't you agree, Green?"

Green Coat automatically frowned at the fact Arno had mentioned Ice Cream when the ginger himself stepped out behind the Ex- Templar.

Green Coat blinked, eyes wide.

Ice Cream was wearing a new uniform, but that wasn't what got his attention. The outfit was pale blue, styled in a similar fashion to his previous one, with double buttons positioned down the front. Dark brown shoulder pads were perched on each and his hood was dark leather. His trousers were the same as before as was the red sash. The larger outfit had a couple of old stains on the coat tails from it's previous owner but Green Coat didn't notice, even as Ice Cream smiled at him and handed his stunned partner his own greet uniform back.

"Thanks for letting me borrow it," the ginger said down at Green Coat's sitting form, nodding to the jacket, "hopefully you going without your nickname hasn't done too much damage."

Green Coat smiled, still blinking at the sight of his lover in such a darker uniform, as the man held a hand out and he was pulled up to standing. Their chests bumped into each other from the action and Green Coat couldn't look away from the Lock Picker. The piece made him look older, but the feeling that wouldn't leave him was power. Ice Cream looked incredibly powerful in the darker uniform and even darker boots. His previous tanned coat was beautiful, and having always assumed the man would wear it, it matched up perfectly with his persona of being light and gentle. Now with this darker attire, the lull of the man was hinting at new and exciting aspects. A wave of relief washed over him too, brushing the nightmare away of their time in the infirmary.

"Master Connor has left with our brothers, back to HQ," Axe said, smirking at the naked animal attraction upon Green Coat's face, as he hefted more equipment back onto his shoulders, "We be too, via Lyon. Francois needs to be dropped off."

"Excuse me, but is Monsieur Henri here?"

The Assassins all looked over at said teen.

"No, he ain't, son," Axe said, scratching the back of a thick and hairy arm. He coughed in the morning mist, "Why?"

"I wish to thank him," Francois said with a wide smile, "...for the gift!"

"What gift?" Ice Cream asked coming over, pulling at the top rim of a boot around his calf, still getting used to it.

Francois held out an old and dark red rolled up tool kit, "When I woke up this morning, this was next to my head. There was a note, too," the boy continued, eagerly pulling out the shred of paper, "Saying this belonged to my father! Is it true?"

"Lemme see that," the leader said, taking the tool kit and examining it. He didn't see the look on either Ice Cream or Green Coat's faces.

"Is it truly his?" Francois asked again, eyes wide with anticipation, looking straight at the ginger Assassin.

Axe handed the tool kit to Ice Cream. The tall Assassin didn't have to turn it over or open it, he recognized it by the fabric alone. This was the one Henri used. The one, in fact, the man had trained him with. Memories threatened to undermined his composure but Ice Cream let them pass.

"Yes. This was your fathers," Ice Cream said with a smile, not looking at the note, before handing it back to the boy, "So take great care with it."

"I shall," Francois said with a positive smile, holding the roll to his chest like a puppy. His eyes went to Axe next to him who smiled widely too, patting the boy on the back. "I didn't know he was a Lock Picker, too! But...but really, you should have it," Francois said to Ice Cream honestly, "To have something that reminds you of him."

Ice Cream paused, noticing how Green Coat's body shifted next to him and how Arno looked confused. His face falling ever so slightly before a warm and genuine smile was back, "I already have something much better," Ice Cream said and put and arm round the boy. Francois was momentarily embarrassed before he unabashedly grinned with pride at the Assassin.

"Well, looks like we be the only ones left," Axe said looking round camp, "Artifact's secured. Let's get a move on to Lyon. This stuff weighs a ton."

"Lead the way, Francois," Arno said, a hand extended to the side before turning to Axe with a whispered, "What's going on between Francois and Ice?"

"I'll tell ya' later," Axe whispered, forgetting that Arno was the only one who didn't know the open secret of Francois's true connection to the ginger.

~

The morning rolled on and the sky lights had all but vanished. Sun shone through the gaps in the old trees, the heavy fog of morning mist hung in the air as the gang of men entered back into Lyon on foot. Their horses gone, having been initially taken by the masked Assassin in payment for new uniforms for Axe and Ice Cream, the remaining beasts Master Connor requested to take with him. As they walked, Ice Cream had taken up the lead with Francois at his side.

Arno had not pressed Axe on what that last conversation was about involving the Lock Picker and the Novice, but was growing more curious as the hours passed. They began their ascent towards the main bridge, when the Ex-Templar grew more curious that he should, he began to ask but stopped and said something else when they reached the stone river crossing.

"Where the devil is everyone?"

The Assassins and Novice were all quiet, standing in silence at the mouth of the bridge as each searched for signs of life. Where there would normally be columns of smoke rising high, people milling around and lots of shouting...there was nothing. An eerie silence surrounded them with the odd dog barking or a stray chicken clucking, pecking at worms in the hard ground, as they continued walking into the city. Green Coat kept close to Axe, purposely not looking at the giant lion statues as they re-entered the city.

Arno kept a very confused and weary expression upon his face, forgetting his initial question for Axe. Paper was everywhere. Fliers, cardboard, newspapers blew about in the breeze as those whom still lived in the city eyed them with suspicion from twitching doorways. Turning familiar corners, and seeing Francois's Bakery having been partly demolished, they arrived at the tavern and saw a figure coming out of the door with a huge bag on his back.

"Peter!"

The figure turned around and dropped the sack in surprise.

"Francois!"

Francois ran over to his friend, coming to a jogging stop, as the two embraced warmly.

"I'm so glad you're alright!" Francois smiled, slapping his friend on the upper arms as they parted.

"And I you," a worn out looking Peter said, "I would have come looking for you but I received word you were safe and well. Thank you for the pigeon, Monsieur."

"Think nothing of it son," Axe said with a wink as the four other men arrived to stand with them. Green Coat bent down and picked up a stray flyer that was stuck to the under side of his boot.

"Where are you going?" Francois asked as he picked up the heavy bag, handing it to his friend, "What's going on here?"

"To Cannes, I have family there," the teenager explain, hefting the sack back onto his shoulder, "There's been rumors of a siege coming. Most folk have cleared out."

"So we have seen," Arno said, that frown still upon his features.

"A siege?" Ice Cream asked.

"Oui, Monsieur. Have you not seen the flyers?"

Green Coat coughed with a scowl, reading from the pamphlet in his hand.

"Counter Revolutionaries have publicly declared they are running this great City of Lyon. To which the National Assembly in Paris has decreed, "We will teach Lyon the alphabet."

"A sinister warning if there ever was one," Arno said.

"Well that puts a dent in our plans," Axe said, more so to himself.

"Sure I can't persuade you to stay?" Francois asked his best friend.

"The tavern has no guests and I'm not taking any chances. And my mother has demanded that I go and live with her," Peter said, then added "Sorry. You know how she gets."

"No, it's quite alright," Francois said warmly, "I need to see my own mother soon. And if what you say is true then we won't be staying here for much longer. Can set up shop again once everything returns to normal."

"Aye, we are gonna be using it for tonight but then we are clearing out," Axe said scratching his beard, "I don't like the fact this city is not coy about it's political ties."

"Anything left inside?" Green Coat almost grunted.

"All the metal's gone, not just the copper," Peter said, "The Marshall took it all last week. But I hid a cooking pot under the floor boards upstairs, should you need it. But I'm afraid that there is no food left to speak of."

"My thanks. Stay safe, my friend, and we shall see you again soon," Francois said, shaking the other teenager's hand firmly. "Please, give my regards to your mother."

"I shall do. And you stay safe too," Peter nodded, the two embracing with brotherly affection, then to the other men, "You gentlemen as well."

"Safety and Peace," Axe said, which was echoed by the exhausted others.

~

The five men walked into the silent tavern.

The metal pots and pans were indeed absent, dark marks where their forms had been resting on the walls relaying the only evidence there were once such tools, along with anything resembling copper.

Axe threw his linen bag onto a nearby table with a thud and chuckled, "Ahh, good to be back."

"Now as Master of the House," Francois said, settling his bag down also and standing to his full height. "Business is business when one is the owner of a respectable establishment such as this. I'll see if I can cook up some late breakfast."

"Merci beaucoup," Ice Cream said as Green Coat sat on a vacant chair, engrossed in reading the newspaper with his muddy boot print on the front of it.

"We have a few rations here we can use," Arno offered, nodding to a small bundle in a handkerchief that contained wild berries they had collected on the way.

~

The day passed unnaturally slowly.

Late breakfast was served which consisted of half of their rations all piled into one. All five men sat around the largest table, conversing, the atmosphere now a lot more comfortable with near enough full stomachs. Axe was busy changing and unchanging from his uniform, trying to stitch up places where it didn't fit. Ice Cream and Francois were talking and laughing and Green Coat had begun to make a nest in the corner of the room by collecting all their equipment and checking it over on a small table. Arno smiled. It was good to have some down time from all the shit that had gone on, not to mention trying to understand the various riddles about who knew what and crypt monsters.

He bit back bile on who Blue Hat turned out to really be.

It was halfway through their dinner in the evening, with a small fire crackling merrily in the fireplace, that to everyone's shock, Master Connor appeared at the door. The Assassins welcomed him, but something was off. Ice Cream, Green Coat and Arno were not to be part of the discussion on why Master Connor had made a surprising journey to Lyon, as the Master Assassin asked to speak to Axe in private. The both of them left the tavern with Axe having changed into another set of weathered looking waist coats and trousers. The Native American didn't even stay more than an hour before he returned to the tavern, thanked the other men and left on horse back like a bat out of hell.

The other men had discussed in private why he had not stopped long or involved them in the talks. Or more so Arno, Francois and Ice Cream had discussed reasons, with Green Coat adding sparse commentary. He was too busy checking their weapons and hidden blades were working.

When Axe had returned to them, he was tight lipped and looked pale as a sheet as he walked into the tavern. The only things he would confirm was Connor now had the two artifacts and would head back into Paris, to the Brotherhood stationed there, and make sure they were safe.

"You look too pale to be worried about just that," Ice Cream said, before Arno added, "What's wrong?"

"....it's gonna be cold tonight, lads," Axe said with eyes vacant, before swinging an arm limply out to the main room, "Get all the wood you can, bring it in here. When dawn breaks we leave for the HQ. And you two," Axe said weekly motioning to the lovers, but looking at Green Coat in particular, "I've changed me mind. I'm gonna be in the attic tonight. Both of ya' take my old room and move any of my old stuff to the side. Should be warm enough in there. If not, the fire down here will be roaring all night. I'll leave that up to you Francois to tend. Do not let it die out."

The boy nodded seriously as Arno went to open his mouth but Axe walked away from them all and up the stairs.

"Francois," Ice Cream said slowly into the awkward silence, to the boy sitting next to him, "I understand that your tavern is very important to you but...if it becomes too dangerous here, the HQ is also your home now that you're a Novice in the Assassin's Brotherhood. I'd love for you to come and stay with us."

Francois nodded with thanks and a promise to think about it. With Peter now gone, who was to look after his tavern from robbers?

"Something's wrong," Arno said, still staring at the stairs Axe had climbed. He kept a heavy set brow upon his face, "And I'm gonna find out what."

"Be careful," Green Coat said with seriousness, almost out of character, as he passed with Ice Cream up the stairs, the men heading to bed.

Arno watched the couple trudge up the stairs and looked around the room for a good place to store up wood as Francois began making the fire larger.

~

Green Coat and Ice Cream walked up the staircase and headed for their allotted room. As they entered they saw the window wide open and leaves that had fallen inside, scattered upon the ground like wedding confetti. Axe's bottom half of his old uniform was on the bed, along with a couple of his smaller bags he had left previously.

"He must have forgotten them," Ice Cream said picking up the end of a trouser leg and letting it fall back onto the bed, nonchalantly, hearing tools clatter within the fabric.

"I think I know why I wasn't privy to that conversation," Green Coat said, looking into the long mirror behind the door as he closed it, slowly unwrapping the bandage off his head, "Can't have Consus over hearing what The Mentor has planned."

"Then why were myself and Arno also barred? Francois, I can understand, being a Novice."

"I don't know," Green Coat said, inspecting his head as the last of the snake skin like linen wrap came away. He did a double take and saw his powder burn from being nearly shot in the head had completely gone. It wasn't itchy anymore, either. In fact, there wasn't a scratch on him. He turned his head to the side and the claw marks that were there last night had also gone.

"I wonder why Axe wanted the attic room?" Ice Cream asked, head pointed towards the ceiling and Green Coat nearly didn't hear him.

"To scout from a vantage point I assume," Green Coat said, now double checking around his eyes where that mist monster had clawed at him.

"Poor man, he's not going to sleep tonight."

"I don't think I'm going to either with you dressed like that," Green Coat said to the reflection of Ice Cream behind him.

Ice Cream blinked and raised his eyebrows at Green's reflection with a smirk.

"Oh, is that so?"

"We haven't been properly alone for a long time," Green Coat continued talking to his partner's reflection, "And that outfit is doing me over."

"You said that about my last one," Ice Cream chuckled, before he tilted his head sideways with a knowing look.

Green Coat scoffed before he caught the signal out of the corner of his eye. Green Coat spun around and headed straight for his lover. He knew that signal if there ever was one. He reached the mattress as Ice Cream flopped backwards onto it, laughing, as Green Coat moved over him.

The old bed creaked and old habits died hard.

The two Assassins paused before they both silently came to the same conclusion; Francois knew their secret and as long as they were both quiet as mice then they didn't have to worry anyone.

"Hey, your head's better!" Ice Cream smiled and brushed his fingers over Green's forehead.

"And what about yours?" the younger asked, "Maybe we should hold off until your head it bett-"

Instantly Ice Cream crashed their mouths together, hands wondering and searching. The younger quickly through off his green coat and white shirt, along with other non essential items before he began to slowly and sensually undress the other Assassin. The new uniform wasn't as permeated with Vanilla as Ice Cream's last uniform was, but at skin level the man's scent was over powering. He slowly and teasingly pulled off the man's blue outer coat and shoulder pads, half wanting to be erotic and half not knowing how the hell to unbutton this foreign jacket. He slowly kissed and hummed against warm peach skin at Ice Cream's neck, his chest heaving with want and affection for the other Assassin.

The ginger sighed and turned his head to kiss the sides of his partner's face, their lips meeting again. They begun to ground their bodies together and Green Coat quickly realized he needed more room on the bed. He moved Axe's discarded trousers with one powerful sweep of a hand from off the bed and onto the floor. He would have continued their love making had he not felt something suddenly smack him hard onto his bare big toe.

"Argh!" Green Coat cried, instantly lifting his right foot up and into his hands, "Son of a bitch, what the hell was that?!"

"Wha-what happened?" Ice Cream asked, face still pink from his own aroused and now confused semi naked state.

Green Coat cursed, turned and fell back onto the bed, sitting up next to Ice Cream. He ignored his erection annoyingly pressing against his trousers that was not being seen too. He brought his foot up onto his other thigh to inspect the damage as Ice Cream crawled over the sheets. The ginger lent over the side of the bed to see what had fallen out of Axe's old trousers. He reached down and picked the offending item up and held it up to Green Coat; it was the chisel that they had found in the tomb by the wall of smashed and blinded lions.

"Oh, that thing," Green Coat, grumbled, rubbing his smarting toe. Typical. He managed to get one injury fixed and now had another. He gingerly wiggled his big toe in the hopes it wasn't broken.

"I forgot we found this...," Ice Cream said lying on his stomach, as he turned the tool over in his hands, before his face fell.

"Vincent."

"Hmm?" Green Coat asked, still rubbing his reddening toe, all lust gone now at the tone of the other Assassin's voice.

"Get dressed."

"Huh?"

"Now!" Ice Cream said and slapped the chisel into the stunned man's hands, scrambling to climb over the bed. Green Coat blinked as he watched Ice Cream race to put his clothes back on like a bomb was about to go off inside the tavern.

The dark haired Assassin held up the chisel to the light with a confused and annoyed frown before he saw, there on the side of the handle, was a carved name.

_Frederic de la Vert._

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Wings - Pardon the two month lateness; I recently moved to be closer to work. Crazy times @_@ 
> 
> Phew, that was a bunch of plot points/ holes that I needed to address ahem-ahem. Axe and Ice Cream's murky past, that I've been weaving into the current story line from day one, I altered several times in this chapter trying not to be too sensational sounding. (Trying being the key word, haha) Btw just to clarify; Axe and Ice Cream were never in a romantic relationship. (Stress and illness can do odd things to people's minds.) 
> 
> Ice Cream's uniform is now based upon the promotional posters version. (Light blue uniform with dark brown shoulder pads.)
> 
> Just as an FYI, the other eight chapters have been written completely and I am currently going over them while re-reading the entire story to make sure everything makes sense/ there is (hopefully!) a pay off for all the characters. This might go to 51 or 52 chapters, but 50 is my personal aim. Interestingly I have been told by an author friend I've literally written two full length novels and am pushing a third. The more you know~
> 
> History Note:  
> Lyon was semi-open about it's affiliation with Anti-Revolutionaries, who were rumored to be supported by European countries looking to take bites out of France, as the country imploded in on itself. France was at war with pretty much all of Europe by this point and things were only going to get worse as food began to run out, ammunition was spent and paranoia begun to take hold of the populist. The phrase "We shall teach Lyon the Alphabet" or rather "I shall teach the people of Lyon the Alphabet" was used as a warning from Paris to not just Lyon, but to make Lyon a public example on what happens to those who stand in the way of the Revolution's "Progress". This would become known as The Siege of Lyon.


	43. The Siege of Lyon

 ~

Green Coat hastily yanked on his jacket as Ice Cream ran out of the room at break neck speed.

"ICE!"

The young man gasped for air as he ran after the Assassin, barreling up the stairs and tripping on the top step, just about catching the ginger's coat tails as Ice Cream threw open the door to the attic with a clatter.

"YOU KNEW!" Ice Cream screeched at Axe's semi reclining form that was sitting in a wooden chair, staring out of an open window, with his chin leaning on knuckles like one was watching a particularly boring show, "YOU BLOODY KNEW FREDERIC HAD BEEN IN THERE!"

Axe didn't move from observing what ever was out of the window, his face grimly set.

"AXE!" Ice Cream shouted, moving between the man and the window, purposely blocking Axe's view of what was disturbing him outside, "You son of a bitch, Frederic was in that tomb! He was the one who smashed those eyes off the lions wasn't he?!"

Not waiting for an answer, Ice Cream grabbed the inscribed chisel from Green Coat's hands, brandishing it at the elder man, "There was never a Turkey, was there?"

Axe's brown eyes briefly flickered at the tool in Ice Cream's hands before the man returned to staring at something out of the window.

There was an awkward silence.

"ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?!"

"Ice...," Green Coat said softly, face grim and white, seeing what Axe was watching outside.

Ice Cream looked up at the Assassin with an annoyed frown before his young lover pointed out the window. The ginger blinked and snorted confused anger before turning to look. His face fell, matching the others.

All three men were silent as they stared out of the window.

They didn't even acknowledge when Arno entered into the room.

"What the bloody hell was all that shouting?" the Ex-Templar said with an annoyed frown on his face.

No one turned to look at him.

"What's everyone looking at?" Arno said, more so to himself.

Arno moved up to stand next to Ice Cream and curiously poked his head round the wooden rim of the open window. He squinted at the dying light of day before something dark caught his eye. A black cloud that spanned the entire horizon was gliding very slowly towards the city. As it moved, the sun's beams struggled to penetrate through to the ground, throwing long lines of light over the mountains far away. Every now and again small flashes of white and yellow shot out of the clouds. But it wasn't pure streaks of white lightning. It was yellow lines followed by odd geometric shapes as a white mist grew underneath the huge black mass.

"I didn't know a storm was coming...," Arno said then paused, squinting some more, "Wait, I recognize those shapes. Like those from the tomb..."

No one answered.

Arno was about to tap Axe on the shoulder to get his answer when the ginger Assassin spoke.

"...which direction is that?" Ice Cream asked, voice quiet and timid, blue eyes wide in terror.

"North-West," Green Coat said swallowing, not taking his eyes from the sight.

"It looks like it's coming from Paris," Arno said, frowning in disbelief, standing back to take in the view with hands on hips, "Wait, is that snow?"

A shot of yellow followed by circles of light exploded from the cloud as it hit a lake in the far distance. A powdering of white blasted down from the bottom of the colossus thunder cloud. It was a few seconds later that the faint, but powerful and deep sound wave could be heard, the rumble resonating within the men's chests.

"Is it that...the thing that attacked us...in the crypt?" Green Coat asked to the room at large, still in a trance, "We set it free?"

"A Piece of Eden is being used," Axe said hauntingly, brown eyes frozen at the sight, half muffled by the knuckles leaning at the corner of his mouth, "...and it's coming straight for us."

Ice Cream jerked backwards as the large Assassin suddenly bolted forwards out of his chair and slammed the window shut, grabbing the wooden shutters and pulling so they were all plunged into darkness.

Arno too stepped back and breathed out. But as he did so he saw a white puff of steam emit from his mouth. He looked around and saw Green Coat jerk back from his own and Ice Cream put a hand up to his own mouth, white mist rising.

"What ever was in that crypt is out and somebodies given it one hell of a reason to 'ead this way," Axe said picking up his wooden chair and snapping the legs off one by one with his huge hands, breath pure white.

"You mean someone's controlling it? How? With the Lion?" Ice Cream asked shivering and putting his hands under his arm pits.

"I don't remember being taught that Pieces of Eden can get angry," Arno said darkly, feeling himself shivering from the cold, "Where's the Lion?"

"Where that dark cloud is coming from, I'd wager," Green Coat said with a set face, dark eyes hard, "Tell us, Axe. Why did Master Connor really come here?"

Axe looked up at Green Coat and continued to snap the chair legs.

"Don't keep any more secrets from us," Arno added stepping closer, glad that for once him and Green were on the same side. "Why did The Mentor come here and take the Lion and diamonds?"

There were foot steps and the door opened to reveal a very confused and shivering Francois.

"Don't let that fire go out down stairs," Axe said turning to the new comer and shoving the bundle of snapped wood into Green Coat's arms, "It's gonna be colder than a Yeti's tit tonight."

~

Night came and true to Axe's word, it was unbelievably cold. The four men barricaded themselves in the tavern as the odd snow storm smashed into the city. A handsome fire had been lit in the grating of the main tavern and the only large bed, that had not been dismantled for firewood, had been dragged into this main room from the upper floors.

The fire became the Assassin's most important feature as they huddled round it.

Hours passed into the dead of night with both Green Coat and Arno trying to press Axe for more information. But the man wasn't forth coming in the slightest. Even when Ice Cream joined in on the questioning, Axe wouldn't speak. And as the temperature dropped, so did morale and Axe's patience. After a few choice words from the leader, reminding them who they answered too, the Assassins begrudgingly fell in line. But he had thrown them a bone; Master Connor had sent them a warning. 

To keep busy and to distract themselves from what ever this warning was that Axe was keeping from them, they all tasked themselves with stocking up on firewood to pass the time. They had thrown the wood they had collected from around the building into the fire grill. And when it ran out, they then threw the tables into the fire. And when those ran out, the Assassins resorted to throwing anything burnable and non essential into the fire. Francois kept a graceful acceptance at seeing his possessions burned but there was little he, or the others, could do. No one wanted to freeze to death. But it was soon noticed that the fire wasn't enough and there was nothing to be done but to share body heat.

The four Assassins and Novice huddled together on the last large mattress which had earlier been taken apart from upstairs and put back together by the fireside, stripping all the straw out to burn and leaving the feathers and rags to plump it.

Arno was grateful that Axe was at his back as the larger man was like a furnace. His own front was pressed against the back of Ice Cream, who was wrapped in the arms of Green Coat, who looked serious even in sleep, resting his head in the crock of Ice's shoulder. Arno felt himself shiver, glad that the two tallest members of their team were flanking him. He looked over to the door and saw sever frost had covered it, the windows too were nigh on impossible to see through, the ice having jammed them shut. The young Assassin blinked, shuffling to the side and letting Francois into the middle of the huddle, trying to curl up more as the boy settled into the bundle of limbs between himself and Axe. The blanket they were under was a large and frayed tapestry from the stairs that they had saved; thick and large enough to cover them all. Arno breathed out and saw his own breath rise and fade upwards. Embarrassment of close quarters with the other men long gone with the need to say warm.

Arno coughed and resisted raising an eyebrow at Francois as the boy turned over and accidentally elbowed him in the side.

They had tried warning the town.

Before the Assassins had shut themselves in, they had gone out. The five men splitting up and knocking on doors shouting a storm was coming. Arno, personally, didn't see anyone and spent the next forty minutes knocking loudly on empty houses until the streets became icy and they had to retreat.

None of the other Assassins had seen another living soul either.

Which begged the question.

Where was everyone?

Arno pressed his head to Ice Cream's back and closed his eyes, grateful that he wasn't on the outside of the huddle. His mind again concentrated absentmindedly on the small puffs of white from all of them until Arno finally fell asleep in the mists of leather, musk and Vanilla.

~

Arno didn't know how long he had been asleep but woke to a beautiful sound and something repeatedly hitting into his back. A voice, soothing and female, called out to him. Arno looked over to the door from heavily lidded eyes where it struggled to bang open from behind the barricade of barrels and a large oaken table. Arno blinked again, making sure he was hearing what he was hearing and not still asleep. It was as if the storm behind the door and windows was asking permission to enter. Calling to him, ever so sweetly, to please let it in. It didn't want to hurt them, it only wanted to speak to it's friend.

Arno looked over and saw Axe had noticed he was awake. The huge man locked eyes with him and shook his head slowly, before making a sign of clawing at his eyes with one hand. Arno was momentarily confused until he saw, out the corner of his eyes two red dots blurred behind the icy window. Arno forgot how to breath.

It was the Mist Creature.

The searching eyes floated up and sideways around the window before off to the door and disappearing. When he gained a hold of himself, Arno looked back at Axe who nodded. It was the same creature. And it was looking for them. Arno swallowed and noticed that vibration at his back again. He turned his head to the other side and looked over to see Ice Cream holding a terrified Green Coat between himself and Francois. The dark haired man was staring at the door, shaking in terror, as Ice Cream held on tightly to his chest with the Novice holding onto the dark haired man's legs to still him. Arno would have looked away, knowing it wasn't a seizure, but he stopped. Green's eyes were yellow one second and then back to black the next. Like a candle had been lit behind his eyes as the yellow and golden shades flickered. Arno didn't know why he did what he did but he moved over and slowly waved a hand backwards and forwards in front of Green Coat. The man didn't see it. Arno locked questioning eyes with Ice Cream who shook his head. The foul tempered Assassin wouldn't, or couldn't, stop shaking or staring at the door. His mouth was moving but no sound was coming out, for Ice Cream had his own palm covering it.

Axe tapped Arno on the shoulder making him look round again and nodded to the door. He made a sign with his two fingers pointing at his eyes, then at Green Coat. _"It's looking for someone. Him"_

"Consus?" Arno mouthed before he understood why Green Coat was acting the way he was.

Axe nodded grimly as Green Coat gasped in pain under Ice's palm, his own hand going to the back of his skull as if a knife had been stuck into it.

The ex-Templar saw Ice Cream whisper something soothing into the his lover's ear as the voice outside continued to call sweetly.

Arno narrowed his eyes in concentration, opening up his ears. The voice was speaking in Latin. As the voice grew fainter, calling to a house a few doors down now, he saw Green Coat's body relax and slump into the mattress, like putty in Ice's hands. The Vanilla scented Assassin kneaded the base of his partner's skull tenderly.

No one dared to speak.

Arno cast his gaze over and saw Francois looking how they were all feeling; petrified. He gave him a smile of reassurance to which the boy nodded and suddenly came over from the other side of Ice Cream, heading for him. Arno frowned before he felt Axe behind him move away and lift up the thick blanket they all shared, the body heat quickly being gobbled up by a chill. The blue coated man looked over his shoulder as Francois snuggled himself down between them both again, Axe patting the teen on the back to reassure him the danger had passed. Arno made a face as Francois' cold back hit his own and they all returned to huddling for warmth.

Arno looked over his shoulder and saw the fire was now embers. He closed his eyes, pulling his own section of blanket over his shoulder, pressing the side of his face once again against Ice's back, wondering if the stench of Vanilla was going to gag him before the cold or Mist Creature killed him.

~

It was however long later that Arno woke to find himself drooling onto what tasted deliciously like leather. But this thing, it smelt great, as he breathed in, nuzzling his face into it. It was just so warm here! At the edge of his mind he felt the blanket be pulled slowly up from his shoulders, making him angrily moan and groggily pulled it back, turning and snuggling deeper into the heat under him. It was so safe and warm, this haven of leather, he never wanted to leave-

“Mind if I get up, son?

Arno snapped his eyes open.

It took him a moment to realize that he was in a very compromised position. Arno, to his shock, was sprawled over Axe and the leather he was currently salivating over was the man's chest belts. He jerked up, quickly muttering apologies, rolling off before Axe sat up, laughing.

“Was gonna leave you there, snorin' and all, as you make a fine blanket. But nature calls...”

The Ex-Templar yawned as Axe walked over to the piss pot at the other end of the room. Arno turned on his back, feeling an elbow pressing into his side and saw that Ice Cream and Green Coat were still curled up next to him. He watched them, a sudden pang of envy of their intimacy, but it vanished at the look on Green's face. The man wasn't asleep. He had his head resting on the sleeping Lock Picker's shoulder, eyes partly open and heavily bagged and was sporting a very worried look.

Ice Cream was breathing heavily and was moaning with every intake of breath as Green Coat kneaded the back of the man's head with his fingers. Arno frowned. Wasn't it the other way around just a few hours ago? Speaking of which what time was it? Where was the mist monster? Arno eyes shot to the frosted window and was glad to find it red-eyed less.

Green Coat and Arno's eyes briefly met again before the ex-Templar offered a small smile, nodding to Ice. To his shock, Green smiled briefly back before breaking eye contact, resuming his worrying, massaging his partner's neck.

Still feeling the heat of where Axe was, and not really wanting to see the huge Assassin relieve himself, Arno curled up on top of the warm mattress, where Axe's body had been moments before, for a few more precious moments of sleep. He opened his eyes as he felt someone cuddle up to his back and guessed rightly who it was without looking from another accidental jab in the side. Francois was almost lost in the amount of blankets he was bedded under. Fast asleep, not knowing that across from him Ice was, what it seemed, having one hell of a migraine.

~

The next moment Arno woke to find Axe gone. And he was sweating like a pig.

He turned over, hating the feeling of drenched sweat. Expecting to see Francois, or his elbow, next to him or the lovers but they too were gone. He worried his brow before he saw Ice Cream across the room, dressed in his breaches and shirtless, hunched over a pot and stirring it, with his back to him. He too was sweating heavily.

Arno then found he couldn't actually breathe; the humid air clinging with out mercy to his mouth and throat. He mused if this is what it felt like to be on fire. Paranoid, he kicked off the blanket, encase a stray ember was indeed burning him which drew the attention of the ginger.

"Good morning, Arno. Hot isn't it?"

"It's like a bloody oven in here," Arno said, ripping off his blue coat and white top.

"Have you seen outside?" Ice Cream asked, still hunched over the cooking pot, "It's like a summer's day."

"What? How on Earth can that be?"

"See for yourself."

Arno scowled, he hated being hot. Standing up and scratching his naked chest, he walked over to the surprisingly non frosted window and paused. Still disturbed by the red eyes from last night, he paused, closing his eyes. Arno balled his fists up quickly with the tension and released his fingers before daring to glance outside.

Glorious blue sky greeted him.

"That the Piece of Eden's doing?"

Ice Cream made a sound of agreeing with the Ex-Templar.

"Of course," Arno said breathing out in a whoosh at the high temperature, "Frederic said the Lion could control the weather, didn't he?"

“Energy, oui, but same thing. I must be honest I could hardly believe my eyes this morning, either. To think it was so cold last night! Anyway, here, come eat,” Ice said pulling up an up-turned bucket.

Arno pulled his pony tail out, his messy brown hair cascading down his back and shoulders, yawning as he sat on the upturned bucket and scratched at his head, taking the plate with a groggy “merci”. He paused, blinking at his plate. He hadn't seen these in a long time...

“Eggs...?”

Ice Cream nodded, not looking over as he continued to prepare his own breakfast.

“How did you get these?” Arno asked with a surprised and confused smile.

“At a very high price a few villages ago, so don't tell the others," the older man whispered, putting another portion of said eggs onto Arno's plate. “We need the energy more than the coin. Funny, want to know how I cooked them? I put them in the pot and shoved them outside. Done in three minutes flat-oh!”

Arno quickly grabbed the jug of water that was at Ice's side as the man stumbled.

"Merci Arno," the older Assassin said before he cricked his neck and rubbed the back of his head.

"How's the head?" Arno asked, shaking his hand out of droplets.

"Still a bugger," the other Assassin said, rubbing at the dull white bandage around his head, "Just a bit of dizziness that comes now and again. Nothing to worry about."

"Appeared as if you had a migraine during the night," Arno said returning to his meal and taking a mouthful of egg, "You need to change that head wrap."

"Indeed, I shall...these dizzy spells seem to come on all of a sudden. Did you see that Mist Creature? That's enough to give anyone a migraine."

"Green get that too last night?" Arno said muffled with a mouth of food.

"....in a way...", Ice Cream said, sitting down on the stone floor cross legged, with a sigh, as he picked the peach coloured shell off of a hard boiled egg.

Arno couldn't help noticing Ice's trousers belt was unfastened and his trousers were open at the top allowing a slightly swollen abdomen more room.

"What was that last night?" Arno questioned after swallowing. He needed to get Ice onto sorting that gut worm problem out before it turned even more serious.

"Mist Creature wanted a second audience. From what I could understand."

"I forget you speak Latin. What else did it say?"

"It was saying...," Ice Cream said taking a bite of egg and chewing, "It was saying it missed us. Wanted to speak to the person it clawed at. To...heh, to apologize."

Arno snorted.

"I'm sure Green Coat must be flattered that he's owed an apology."

"You could say that," Ice Cream chuckled before swallowing his meal.

"Where is everyone?" Arno asked nodding to the empty room.

"Francois is upstairs packing our stuff," the copper haired lock picker said as he ate more of the egg, "Poor boy. Last night really shook him up."

"Here, here," Arno said then added, "...and our team mates?"

Ice Cream held up the boiled egg and turned it around in his finger tips, examining it closely.

"Upon not satisfactorily answering my partner's questions on why Master Connor paid us a surprise visit, in a timely fashion, Green Coat made his view on the matter very clear. Our leader then took it upon himself to remove my partner from the tavern in order to give him a meticulous reminder of the Creed and his place within it."

Arno smirked widely.

"What did Green say to him?"

Ice Cream looked up from his egg with a smile.

"Let's just say it's never a good idea to tell Axe to go fuck himself."

Arno laughed around his food.

"Because of the questioning?"

"You and I, Arno, both know when to stop pushing the envelope when it comes to Axe. We're all on edge and exhausted with one thing and another. Green on the other hand, while having his charms, does not have the same capacity, I'm sad to say."

Arno chuckled. First time he had heard that the sour puss of an Assassin had charms. But then this was coming from the man's lover.

"That's the first time I've heard you speak badly of him."

"Oh, I'm not speaking badly. Just honestly," Ice Cream winked before finishing up the boiled egg.

Arno snorted. Ice Cream was speaking almost as if he was the long suffering wife of a hot headed husband. The image oddly suited.

"On the subject of the devil," Arno said with another smirk, taking another bite of the second cooked egg, "What's going to happen about the voice in his head?"

"Consus?" Ice Cream asked finishing his own egg, wiping his fingers on his trouser leg.

"Oui. Seems Axe is trying to keep the man, and us, at arm's length when it comes to intelligence. What were we to think about 'a warning' from Master Connor? And what was that about Frederic you were yelling at Axe yesterday?"

Ice Cream coughed into his hand and crossed his arms in front of him.

"Do you remember we found a chisel in the tomb?"

"Indeed," Arno said, "It was next to a dead Templar if I remember correctly? Those lions would like their eyes back too, I reckon."

"The tool belonged to Frederic. His name was enscribed upon it. And it doesn't take a genius to figure out who killed that Templar or who smashed those eyes off."

"...why should it be a problem?" Arno asked honestly, "Frederic said he'd been in a tomb with lightning-"

"In Turkey, Arno," Ice Cream said seriously, "Last I remember this is France."

"So what?" Arno said, "So Frederic didn't mention he'd been in that crypt. He told you where it was right? Gave you a map?'

"Oui, but why not tell us he'd been in there? Why not warn us about a supernatural ball of fog that's got it in for Green Coat?"

"Conus, Ice," Arno corrected, "I doubt it was after Green Coat personally. Unless he too told the thing to fuck off."

"I found out why Master Connor was here, too,"

"Oh?" Arno said, still chewing the yolk, "Axe had a sudden moment of trust did he?"

"The Lion was used at the HQ last night."

Arno swallowed too fast, accidentally causing him to splutter.

"W-what?!"

"To test it out," Ice Cream said matter of fact, "See if, I dunno, if all the right bits worked, I guess."

"You guess?" Arno said with bitterness.

Ice Cream slightly shrugged.

"Let me guess who tried it out," Arno said, still coughing up bits of egg, "Frederic?"

Ice Cream winced and rubbed the side of his abdomen, looking away, "Master Connor came here to warn us they were going to do it. And they were going to direct it's power at a city with the least population. Lyon."

"That's insane, there _are_ people here!" Arno said with an affronted face, "Or were, I saw not one person last night. And besides, _we_ are here!"

"It wasn't Master Connor's order, Axe told me. This came from The Council. He broke protocol to ride out and warn us."

Arno scoffed.

"You mean there is another rung of ass-holes running the Assassins?"

"The Council is the last word, Arno. I assume the Templars have a similar set up?"

Arno didn't like the way Ice Cream had phrased that. But then he had just insulted The Council of Assassins in front of an Assassin.

"...Oui," Arno said slowly, heading off any tension, "But they would never knowingly put a section of active Templars in harms way to try out a new toy," then added with a half apologetic and ironic smirk, "We use Assassins for that."

"And Visa-Versa," Ice Cream said, returning the ironic smile, adding, "Or...I hate to even think it...Frederic's passions got the better of him."

"Hmm, the way he was obsessed about getting that music box to work for Camille makes me think that too," Arno added.

"Frederic has his faults, as we all do, but I can't see him throwing us under the carriage for the sake of being right on a Piece of Eden."

"But according to what you just told me, he practically did. And he lied about Turkey."

"No, he was telling the truth," Ice Cream said, eyes glazing over in deep thought, "There were lightning monsters and Templars in a tomb. Just a bit closer to home then Asia Minor."

"Frederic would have known what we'd find in there," Arno said, finishing his meal, belly satisfied for now, "The trap, the mist creature..."

"My theory is that he knew we had to go in there but couldn't directly tell us this for what ever reason," Ice Cream said, nodding his head and licking his bottom lip. "Why our group, I didn't know at first, but then last night made me realize it was most likely for Consus. Consus, another First Civilization Being, had to go into the tomb. Frederic some how knew getting the second diamond wouldn't work otherwise."

"You seem quite convinced of this?"

"I've been awake for a very long time, Arno."

"Fair enough. But we were put in danger. All of us. You and Axe nearly drowned not to mention Green nearly lost his eye sight," Arno countered.

"Why couldn't Frederic just tell us he had been in there?" Ice Cream asked, stopping his wincing at an apparent stomach ache. "Why lie and say it was in Turkey? Granted he may have said such things to throw the Templar in that room off the sent of Lyon but..."

Arno pursed his lips, "...maybe...," he began, his gut wanting to say the next few words, "...maybe Frederic isn't the man we think he is."

Expecting Ice Cream to balk at the mere idea, the man instead looked pained and nodded slightly before vehemently shaking it.

"He saved my life, Arno. It just doesn't make any sense...you see...last night when Green Coat finally fell asleep, he was whispering things in his dreams. Calling at other Assassins to run and escape the HQ. And...not to look at the Lion Statue."

"I didn't hear him say any of that," Arno said, seeing the look of horror on Ice's face, "You had your hand over his mouth."

"I didn't gag him all night," Ice Cream said and Arno couldn't help feeling like Ice was being condescending, "He was speaking Latin. Consus was there, he...I think he _connected_ to what ever was happening where the lion was inside HQ."

"You mean to say Green Coat, through Consus, could connect to the Lion?"

"That's what it sounded like to me."

"You're seriously talking about telepathy?"

"...of a sort...I'm not sure..."

The men fell silent.

"If you're right then we have to get the hell to HQ."

Ice Cream hummed an agreement with wide eyes, "First though we need to get out of this city before the army arrives."

Arno sighed.

"Any idea when the others will be back?'

"Any time now."

Arno tapped his fork on his plate.

"Does Green know when these Consus attacks happen?" Arno asked with a frown, "Can he summon the bloke?"

"He gets headaches, and no, not from what I gather," the ginger Assassin said, rubbing his abdomen again, "He gets them before Consus tries to speak through him."

"How many times has it happened?"

Ice Cream breathed in and then out, looking up at the ceiling, blinking.

"...twice...or thrice..."

"When exactly?"

"In the tomb," the Lock Pick Assassin said, "He swears he didn't point to where the diamond was, even though we all saw him do it."

"And then?"

"...last night...," the taller man continued, before his face turned a shade of pink, "...and...when we...in the past...were having... sex."

Arno kept his face impassive.

"When you were...?"

"You don't need to repeat me, Arno," Ice Cream smirked, before it faded, "...I personally didn't notice a change at the time, but about three months ago he said...while we were...you know...that he felt something akin to hot lightning in his neck."

"And Axe knows about these attacks?"

"Which is why he's treating him with kit gloves."

Arno breathed out a long breath from his nostrils and stabbed his fork at the remainder of his eggs.

"So last night was caused by Assassins at HQ turning on a Piece of Eden which then caused that Mist Monster to come looking for us?"

"In a nut shell," Ice Cream nodded. "Not nice being a target, is it?'

Arno let out a long sigh. Jesus, what next? So Green Coat was secretly part First Civilization? Or something like that? And the Council of Assassins were perfectly in their right to test out dangerous First Civilization weapons on their own kind? Arno scoffed. He might as well assume Axe was secretly a Templar and Ice Cream was a woman.

"So why didn't Consus come out to play last night?" Arno asked, "Why didn't he just take over Green's body and go out there and face Salmacis."

"Who said that was Salmacis out there?"

"Who else could it be?" Arno barked a laugh, "Father Christmas?"

"There is no need for sarcasm, Arno," Ice Cream said and Arno remembered with a jerk that they were talking about a person the Assassin across from him was in a intimate relationship with.

Arno wisely shut his mouth and shoved a forkful of egg into his mouth only to realize he had already finished during the previous bite.

"I am confused, Ice," Arno said, throwing his fork down onto his plate, "Truly I am. I'm struggling to make sense of what is going on. What our group is doing. Our aim. What we unleashed back at the tomb and for what possible gain-"

"Who are you confused about?"

Arno blinked and snapped his eyes to Ice Cream.

Who?

The man had got the problem in one.

"Who our real enemy is," Arno said.

"Blue hat?"

"Yes, or as I know him, my ex mentor. Why does Frank show such a special interest in our group, me aside?"

"I thought that would have been obvious...he's a Templar looking for a powerful Piece of Eden...plus...Arno...," Ice said carefully, "...are you aware of the nature of the connection between myself, Green and you ex-mentor?"

"Not really," Arno said truthfully, "I've put together you all knew each other prior to me joining..."

"Has Axe ever told you that myself and Green Coat have had problems in the past with others knowning we're a couple?"

"He...might have said something bad happened at the old HQ..."

"Oui, it did. Your ex-mentor took my honor."

"He took what?"

"In front of Green Coat."

Arno was too confused to reply.

"Green doesn't remember what he saw, or if he does he has buried it so deeply that he has forgotten where he put it. We were in the infirmary for weeks recovering. The day after we were discharged, the HQ was raised to the ground and Green Coat was blamed-"

"Sorry," Arno said, still deep in confusion, "He took....your honor?"

Arno watched for any sign of an answer as Ice Cream gently took the empty plate from him.

"Make of that what you will," the ginger said softly.

Arno frowned deeply, cocking his head to the side.

"...no....no, Frank wouldn't do... that-" Arno said, still not entirely sure what Ice Cream was officially alluring too, "Yes, he had a sick sense of humor but I've never seen-"

"Axe told me you've seen the scars on Green Coat's back. Would you believe me if I told you your Ex-Mentor had taken pleasure in doing that?"

"Why?" Arno asked with a hard frown, ignoring the question, "Why would Frank do such a thing?"

"Why does anyone do anything?" Ice Cream shrugged gently. "Personally, I put it down to myself and Green were in the way of him obtaining the Lion. Once he had that...the feeling of power over others...and you should be asking yourself why he showed up outside the crypt when we were there."

Arno stared at Ice Cream.

"Are you insinuating that I told him?"

"No, I don't think you would have. But someone did."

"I know Frank. He is ruthless, but he wouldn't do...," Arno said, almost with a laugh, "Yes, he was passionate about the Pieces of Eden, as Frederic is, but he wouldn't violate anyone just because he felt like it-"

"Have you ever touched a piece of Eden, Arno?"

Arno blinked as he saw something behind the ginger's eyes.

"...I have," Ice Cream said, "As have we all. For the past two years we've been handling such an item. An item that has been with us twenty four hours a day for two years. Myself, even longer."

Arno leaned back as he saw uncharacteristic anger flicker in those blue eyes.

"The lion is a piece of Eden, this we know," Ice Cream said, "With, as you discovered back in the tomb, Hermaphroditus inside. Or a being that identifies as such."

Arno shut his mouth as Ice Cream continued talking.

"That carving...I've been wondering...for quite a while now...if it stains what ever is in a person. Twists it."

Arno raised an eyebrow.

"What makes you say that?"

"I nearly beat Green Coat to death."

"What, you?" Arno asked with a playful smile, after a pause, on his face before it instantly faded at Ice Cream's expression.

"I have some...things....in my past I don't want him knowing about...and back at the river, he got too curious and I attacked him."

Arno stared. Ice Cream probably meant his time living in a slum.

"I'm terrified, Arno. It's been a very long time since I've gone for someone. And I am an Assassin, now. Think of the damage I could have inflicted-'

"Why are you telling me this?" Arno said with a frown. "You think you're losing your mind? You hit your head, mate."

Ice Cream fell silent.

"So why haven't the rest of us been effected?" Arno asked, still with a frown.

"Who says you haven't?"

Arno narrowed his eyes and suddenly felt sick. He didn't want to talk anymore to Ice Cream. Wanted the confirmation of what he was hearing from the other men on this cryptic information. The smoke and mirrors around the Assassins, especially Ice Cream now, was starting to creep up on him and that niggling doubt that Ice Cream wasn't all he first seemed began to grow within Arno's gut.

Desperate to distract himself and change the topic he looked around the room.

"So when are Axe and Green meant to be back-"

_SLAM!_

Both men turned suddenly as the door to the room crashed open with Francois breathing heavily.

"GET DOWN-!"

**BOOM!**

A massive explosion of cannon smashed into the side of a house across the road from their own. The tavern shook with the shock wave, knocking the only pot they had sideways and spilling water all over the floor.

"Oh Gods, I thought they wouldn't start until tomorrow!" Ice Cream shouted as he dashed over to a fallen Francois, helping him up as Arno slammed the door shut, abandoning his tin bucket. Both Ice Cream and Francois ran to look out the window, but as Ice did so he slipped on the water and fell to the side, with Arno catching his upper arm.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome," Arno said.

Ice Cream leaned on the side of the second story window as they looked out.

"Good Lord," Arno said, taking in the destruction and smoke, "What is happening to this country...?"

“A Revolution. Don't you know the saying...?" Ice Cream said solemnly to Arno, as the rare few people left in the city came running to the shattered building, pulling the few injured out and away. As the Assassin's watched, a physical fight broke out between two men, one was trying to loot the newly opened building and other was stopping him. Arno watched as there was a scuffle, a bang and the looter shot the protector at point blank.

"...it always eats it's own children," Arno finished for him. "And here I thought the city was deserted. Where were these people last night?"

"People are turning on each other. That's what sieges are designed to do.” Ice Cream said as both men watched the building swarming with people looting what food they could find-

"ARSE HOLES!"

Both Assassins paused, snapping their heads to a few doors down. Arno leaned over the rusted railing further, he knew that faint bellow.

"Where's Axe and Green Coat?" Ice Cream asked the tavern's owner. "Did they reach the city gate?"

"Monsieur Green Coat I have no idea, but Monsieur Axe is down the street-no-look-on-top-of-the-roof!" the teen said in quick excitement as he pointed, nearly jumping up on the balls of his feet.

A faint figure was walking along the top of a roof five houses down from theirs, stopping to pick up a lose tile and then throwing it with all his might at something on the other side of the street.

"Unless he's flinging that at Green, the man's gone mad!" Arno said to which Ice Cream cursed, turning around.

"Come, let's go-" Ice Cream began but stumbled and fell onto a knee, this time Francois catching him. "Gah, my head," he said rubbing the top of his head where the reddened bandaged held his injury.

"You're not going anywhere," Arno said sternly then at Francois, "Look after him."

"Oui, Monsieur," Francois said, hooked one of the ginger's naked arms over his shoulders and helped him to stand.

"PRICKS!"

"Son of a...," Arno said quickly walking back to the bed, shoving his sweat damped uniform back on with a grimace, hearing Axe's below again. He secured his weapons, drew his cowl up and swung out of the window as Ice Cream asked Francois to change his bandage. Arno didn't even look at Ice Cream as the man tried to call after him. He dashed up to the roof and began to climb the nearest wall on to the next building.

"PILLOCKS!"

Arno hauled himself up to the roof to find Axe hollering himself hoarse. Wait, where was Green Coat?

"CRAZED SONS OF BITCHES!" the large Assassin yelled, "WHAT DO YA THINK YA MAKING AN EXAMPLE OF US WILL DO?!"

"Axe-"

"WHY YOU KEEPING US HERE?!"

Arno stood back as the man grabbed a roof tile and hurled it into the air across the street and down behind the city's walls. A small splash was heard of its landing position in the filthy moat. Arno squinted in the unbearable heat and saw a huge army, a flag of red, white and blue flying from two canvas tents on the other side of the city's walls.

"BLOODY IDIOTS!"

"AXE!" Arno shouted as loud as he could.

The man paused in his tracks, face red, finally seeing Arno next to him.

"What's going on?," the ex-Templar said, "Why the hell are you picking a fight with the National Guard?"

"They're making an example of Lyon," Axe growled, spit flying from his lips.

"How?"

"Are you blind, boy?!" Axe shouted, face red as a beet root, "Look around! They're starving us and this city into submission. Lyon's already surrendered. What more do they want? Blood, son. They want to see us bleed and beg for our lives-"

"Then let's get out of here," Arno said, "Ice needs a doctor, he won't be able to walk soon if that gut worm infestation get's worse and his head isn't looked at. We need to leave before we need to carry him-"

"AYE WE'LL BE CARRYING HIM ALRIGHT!" Axe bellowed and yanked a terracotta roof tile from his feet, "IN A SODDIN' BOX!" and hurtled another tile off towards the army.

Arno took a step back, something else was happening here.

"YA INSANE DICTATORS!" Axe shouted before undoing his flies as a steamy stream of yellow liquid splashed across the roof, "I PISS ON THE LOT OF YA-!"

There was a bang and a bright spark of a bullet that hit a nearby chimney pot close to the Assassins.

"Come on, let's go," Arno said, pulling the larger man down by the elbow, who was quickly doing up his trousers.

~

"Oh don't look so shocked boy, I'm alright. You think I fooled 'em?"

Arno stared as he landed next to Axe onto street level.

"Pardon me?"

"Green Coat got over the wall!" Axe beamed, all trace of anger gone, as he clapped his massive hands together in glee, "I had to create a diversion so they wouldn't see 'im."

The Ex-Templar sighed.

"Next time try not to do it with your dick out," Arno said, glad the man hadn't truly lost his mind.

"Good to let off some steam though; was bursting for a slash," Axe continued to grin as they made their way back and entered into the main tavern. The two men saw Francois quickly pass them with a porcelain bowl of blooded water.

Both Assassins fell quiet.

"What was that you said about Ice back there, lad?" Axe asked slowly, watching with a worried frown at the teen passing by as Arno caught Francois by the upper arm.

"How is he?" Arno asked the boy, before Axe could question again, knowing where that blood had come from.

"I changed his bandage, but...," the teenager said with a nervous glance behind him at the fire side, "... he's...not all there."

"What do you mean?"

"Take me to him, son." Axe said, his cheeks less red.

"This way, Monsieur Axe."

~

Arno walked behind Axe and Francois to see Ice Cream slumped on the large mattress bed they all had previously shared near the fire. Arno looked at Francois who mentioned the Assassin felt tired before he started speaking in tongues. Ice Cream was still shirtless, chest breathing hard, eyes shut and sweat pouring off his forehead from under the clean bandage.

"He needs a doctor," Arno stated, eyes hard. "Now."

"Agreed," Axe said, crouching down and touching Ice's cheek with the back of a large hand.

There was a moan from Ice Cream.

"Shut ya' trap, you don't need to remind us how much ya' hate doctors. Anyway, it's ya own damn fault you got hit in the first place Assassin," Axe said with a laugh and gently patted Ice Cream on the shoulder, with a hint of a teasing smile.

Ice Cream replied by giving him the two fingered salute.

For the next few hours, Axe and Francois tended to the semi-conscious Assassin with Arno being look out on the top floor for their last member. The plan of moving on and having Green Coat find them later was battered around like a tennis ball but where would they go? Green Coat was trying to find an escape route. So they had no choice. They all had to wait for the foul tempered man to return. Besides, where would they get a doctor out here? But during the next few hours, as Axe took over the watch from the upper floor, Ice Cream began to babble more and more. Words and verbs flew from his mouth but nothing made sense, according to Francois. But Arno knew what Ice was saying. Of fire, farms and strange men. The words "cour des miracles" appeared in the air and Arno's ears pricked. From Axe's mouth he knew the ginger had once spent time in that hell hole, for which Green Coat didn't know.

Arno curiously listened and tried to piece together the snippets of memories. Of fighting others off who tried to douse him with gutter water for the sin of being ginger. Of Henri appearing and locking him in a damp room to test his lock picking skills, to accusing the ghost of a sofa that he couldn't find his left shoe and finally, for twenty straight minutes , convincing Arno of how much he hated the taste of vanilla.

"But you _smell_ of Vanilla," Arno sighed, bored of the conversation.

"Do I?" Ice Cream asked in horror, eye's glazed over.

It was another hour of words, accusations (plus worrying that the spider sitting innocently on it's web in the corner of the room was a Templar spy) when Francois excused himself from sitting with them to go to the toilet. Arno made a mental note to go when the boy returned. His bum was going numb from sitting next to Ice Cream's bed. The floor of the tavern was never meant to be a seat. Arno was brought out of his thoughts as he felt his left arm urgently being pulled twice. He looked down and saw Ice Cream had it in his clutches and looked utterly wild.

"I have a secret."

"Oh really?" Arno said, congratulating himself on his play acting at Ice's ramblings, "Is it that you really did piss in a flower vase in Versallie?"

"Yes, or I would have wet myself," Ice Cream waved him off, "...but that's not my current secret."

"Which is?" Arno sighed.

Ice Cream looked suddenly deranged as he smiled and beckoned Arno to come closer.

Arno looked around him and scanned Ice's body for any weapons. He trusted Ice Cream but the fact the ginger was delirious, probably from that head wound, and had already captured his arm, no Assassin would let his guard down. It was far too easy a position for a sneak stab between the ribs.

"I have four children," Ice Cream whispered.

"Oh really?" Arno said with a nice smile, genuinely curious what Ice was going to say next. Some of the words he was spouting were true and others ludicrous. But this sounded more like plausible babble.

Ice Cream nodded, mad smile still on his face.

"Boys or girls?" Arno guessed.

"Two boys, one girl...," Ice Cream said and then laughed, "And who the hell knows about the fourth!"

Arno sighed to himself, gently pulling his arm back. Even if this was a pack of lies, he'd humor the man as Green Coat, along with Francios, were taking their sweet ass time.

"Where are they?" Arno asked, an arm now free.

Ice Cream's face changed, the smile not entirely fading, but his eyes were vacant, as if watching a dream that, before it turned sad, was once happy.

"....dead...."

"Oh...," Arno said with a nod, "My sympathies."

"But not the first born."

"Oh?"

"Oui, he's in the toilet."

Arno stared.

"Come again?"

"He'll be back in a moment," Ice Cream said, before patting Arno's forearm reassuringly. "No need to fret. He can help keep an eye on that Spider in the corner. Shifty little thing it is."

Arno looked towards the spider and saw it hadn't moved.

"I...don't understand," Arno said turning back, "Your son's in the toilet? You don't mean Francois?"

Ice Cream fixed him with a wide eyed look.

"Did _you_ not know?"

"...fran...Francois?" Arno said, not believing but yet at the same time it made very odd sense, "Really, Ice? Francois is your... _child_?"

"Shhhh-," Ice Cream said, eyes suddenly un-focusing, clumsily trying to put a finger over Arno's lips and missing. "It's a secret. Tell no one but everyone."

A light bulb went off in Arno's mind, of Ice and Francois talking about the lock picking tool kit and how it belonged to his father. But something was off, why was Francois asking Ice if it belonged to his father? Wouldn't the ginger be the father? But then Ice Cream was now staring daggers at a lady bird that had flown onto floor nearby.

"It's looking at me funny, Arno. I think the Templars sent it to spy on us. In cahoots with the spider. BEGONE FOUL CREATURES OF THE NIGHT!"

Arno took the shoe that was in Ice' hands and threw it out of the reach of the man. He sighed at the look the Lock Picker gave him, as he scooped up the would-be-insect-spy and threw it to the side, away from Ice Cream.

"So where's the mother?" Arno asked trying to distract the Assassin.

At this Ice Cream stared at him before he erupted into loud laughter, gasping for air and repeating the question back at Arno with pure mirth. The Ex Templar leaned back making a face. God, that head injury was more serious than he thought. Where the hell was that bastard Green Coat? If only he would show up then they could all get the hell out. Arno looked to the stairs and started debating with himself if he should ask Axe to switch duties. Suddenly his arm was pulled at so strongly that Arno fell sideways, elbow onto the cold floor and met Ice's face in his own.

"We don't talk about the fourth," the ginger whispered. "Promise."

"Why?"

Ice Cream stared at him, his eyes focusing and un-focusing.

"Why don't we talk about the forth child, Ice?" Arno asked, not really interested anymore.

Ice Cream looked to his stomach, placing Arno's hand on it before his eyes shot to his left and at the floor.

"Frederic lied to you. He killed that Templar in the tomb. There was no mission to Turkey. There never was. And he sent your group there knowing that creature was there."

Arno was about to stand up, having hand enough of this lunacy, however he paused, blinking.

Your group?

Ice Cream's face turned back to Arno.

The Ex-Templar's eyes went wide.

The ginger's eyes were flickering blue and golden. Arno forgot how to breath as he watched as the flicking intensified, until there was more gold than blue. A cold pool of terror welled up inside Arno as a voice that was not entirely Ice's own filled the air.

"Salmacis has been released," that ethereal voice escaped from the ginger's lips, "She searches. She searched now. Searches for her teacher. You must all stop her."

Arno was speechless. He made a few mouth movements before he got a hold of himself.

"Searches?" Arno asked carefully, "....searches for who?"

"The one known as Juno."

Arno couldn't blink as he realized just who he was talking too, "I don't know this Juno."

"She is trapped," Ice Cream's hijacked voice whispered, as the man stared at him with those golden eyes, "Salmacis will free her. You must stop Salmacis."

"Why are you saying this to me?" Arno said, narrowing his eyes, "Why are you speaking through Ice Cream, Consus?"

Consus blinked.

"The one you call Frederic informed the Templars your group was going to be there. You must go to where the Lion was activated. You must stop her."

Arno felt fear turn into anger and confidence.

"Assuming I believe you, Consus, why would Frederic do that?"

"The damage is repaired," Consus smiled, "Rest now."

"Consus? Consus!" Arno shouted but it was of no use.

Ice Cream's golden infused eyes fluttered shut before opening again, bright blue eyes focused on him before they glazed over.

"Have you seen my shoes? Those boys stole them again..."

"No, I've not," Arno said and made up his mind then and there to get physically away from the man. When Axe got back, secret or not, he had to tell their leader the delusions the ginger was having and that Consus was no longer in Green Coat. Arno knew the outcome, as he carefully slid his hand away and off of Ice's abdomen as the ginger fell asleep.

Ice Cream was no longer fit to be an Assassin.

~

Day turned into a rainy night.

And Green Coat was still not back.

Arno felt sick to his stomach for he knew Ice Cream's head wasn't mending. And now with Consus involved, matters were vastly more complicated.

Shit.

He wished Green Coat was here, mainly because he was tired of trying to get Axe to seek a doctor himself. At least with Green the man would scream his lungs out trying to get Ice to a doctor. Before it was out that Consus had jumped ship.

Feeling he'd better start packing, and not wanting the ginger or Consus to grab his arm again to whispers secrets at him, Arno moved up the stairs and came face to face with the very same Green Coat swinging in from a window.

"Oh, thank Christ," Arno breathed as his peer took off his rain sodden coat and flapped it a couple of times, drenching the floorboards near him. "Get your ass down stairs and see if you can knock some sense into them. Ice's is not right."

Green's eyes narrowed in confusion before the penny dropped and they went wide. He dropped his wet coat onto the floor with a slosh and shoved past Arno as he ran into the stairwell.

Arno turned, rubbing his shoulder where the other man had hit into it when he stopped, a boot on the top most stair. No, he didn't want to go downstairs. He didn't want to be with them. He wanted to be alone. Even if it meant there was about to be a shit storm of shouting. To re-evaluate why he was with these men and what he was trying to get out of it. Arno walked back into the room, shut the door and, as an after thought, locked it. He walked over to the window, hearing Green's voice calmly demanding a doctor then with a loud screech, when that didn't work, at Axe for Ice to see a healer. Arno grabbed a wooden chair, one that had remained unscathed from the earlier fire, as he heard Axe's voice shake the floor boards that if they didn't shut up Ice would wake up.

Arno saw out the corner of his eye a dark blue bottle.

Thinking what the hell, he went over to it to find it had half a bottle of spiced wine left inside.

"To your health, gentlemen," Arno said to the room at large before he sat in the chair and drank.

It was near the end of the bottle that a very blurry light bulb went off in his head as he stared at the empty coat of green that he had hung over by the small fire, drying.

It was simple, really. He didn't know why it had taken him so long to work it out.

Arno looked up and saw the door knob rattling.

"What?" Arno called.

"Open this door, prick."

"I dried it for ya'," Arno shouted, taking another swig from the bottle, hiccuping. "No need to thank."

Arno didn't care that Green Coat was now trying to pick the lock. He sat and waited, looking down at his pocket watch, trying to time Green's lock picking. Let's see how good the man was. But Arno was so drunk he had forgotten that his watch was broken.

When the door finally opened, Green Coat walked in and closed it gently.

"Pshh, not as fast as you used to be, Greeny-old-boy."

Green Coat stalked up to the fire to retrieve his coat, with loud thumbs of boots to the wooden flooring, ignoring the insult.

"What? Why are you disturbing a gentleman trying to relax?," Arno grimaced at the sound assaulting his head.

The other Assassin stayed silent as he took his jacket from off the side and started to inspect it.

Arno watched his peer dig his hands into the large outer pockets, then into the numerous inside ones, checking all was in order. What, did the man genuinely think he had stolen something? Talk about trust issues...

"That's why you hate me," Arno said with a smug smirk, "...isn't it?"

Green Coat looked up from his position, brushing stray lint off of his coat, staring at his least favourite Assassin.

"You knew, all along," Arno continued, not threatened by those dark pit like eyes, "Who my Mentor was?"

"And thus the penny dropped," Green Coat muttered, breaking eye contact, dusting his coat off from hay and slotting one arm into a sleeve.

"Soddin' hell," Arno said to himself, rubbing his eyes with one hand, "I have NOTHING to do with that man-!"

"You have everything to do with that man!" Green Coat shouted, hackles raised, eyes of fire and jacket off one shoulder which all together made him look utterly demented and homeless.

Arno stared hard. He knew Green Coat was on edge from dealing with a delirious Ice Cream and a stubborn Axe. But he wanted answers and the drink, as it always did, was providing that misplaced confidence.

"Enlighten me."

Green Coat turned his body to fully face the sitting man.

"Axe picked you up because of who you know. Nothing more," he said fully putting his coat back on and fixing the buttons, "Nothing less. And why wasn't Ice taken to a doctor? **You** were in charge. But then I should have known, considering who your mentor is."

Arno didn't blink as Green Coat finished talking.

"...you wouldn't care about any of us," the sour man continued, "...even if your life depended on it."

Arno could feel his anger rising, nostrils flaring, too affronted to answer. It was a few moments later that the dark haired Assassin had finally secured his uniform and began to walk out of the room.

"You know nothing about trying to help those you love, Templar."

Arno felt the next line leave him before he could stop it.

"Has Ice Cream ever said he loves you?"

Green Coat stopped dead at the threshold. He slowly turned his head to look over his shoulder, murder in his eyes.

"What did you just say to me?"

Arno had, over the past two years seen the way Green Coat was. Jealous, possessive and he was damn well sure that relationship he was having with Ice Cream wasn't entirely healthy. Throw into the mix Consus jumping between them both and, if Ice was to be believed, that the Lion Piece of Eden was effecting them all...Arno had to say something and the bottle in his hands was saying he really did have the confidence to say what ever he wanted to his miserable peer.

"Has he ever said those _exact_ ," Arno enunciated, "...words to you?"

Green Coat couldn't speak as Arno got up off the chair, sluggishly made his way to the bedroom door and leaned on it, not caring as usual that his slightly shorter team mate looked like he was about to pounce.

"You're suffocating him," Arno said into a murderous looking Green Coat's face, "Which is odd, considering Ice's a hell of a lot older than you. You'd think he'd of let you know by now. Plus your constant wanting to know where he is, trying to control his wear abouts. Not to mention I'm tired of hearing you two shaggin-"

"I have to keep an eye on him," Green Coat surprisingly began to justify, eyes still holding contempt that this man was questioning his private relations, "...for you are the student of the man who attacked him-"

"Yes, that I am. But not anymore," Arno said, "I abhor that sorry excuse for a man even more than you do."

Green Coat leaned his face into Arno's.

"Somebody _told_ Blue Hat we were in that crypt-"

"Yes," Arno said, mentally hearing Ice Cream's own words in his head, "...and it was Frederic."

Green Coat stared at him, wide-eyed and very much looking on edge.

"Even if I was to believe something like that coming from Scum like you, why would he do that, huh?!"

"Maybe...," Arno said softly, seeing Green Coat near breaking and also unarmed, "...maybe Frederic isn't the man you think he is."

Green Coat took a step towards him. His eyes full of anger.

Arno had been in his fair share of fights in his life. And Green Coat was begging for one. Arno also knew he had over stepped the line but oddly didn't give a toss as he could, for the first time in his life, feel Green's breath on his face.

"You take that back, whore-son."

"I know it's difficult," Arno said, not moving as Green Coat inched closer into his personal space. "I completely changed my outlook when I realized I was being played by The Order."

"Didn't you hear me?" Green Coat snarled, a fist clenched. "I said, take it back, whore-son."

Arno held his ground as he locked eyes with his peer and could tell the shorter man was faintly shaking. Lining up his last verbal shot with a hiccup, Arno smirked.

"Not my fault if you're frightened of me."

Green Coat raised his fist like lightning and was about to strike when a sharp voice called up.

"Green?"

Both young men paused, Green's knuckles near inches away from Arno's cheek, as Axe's call filtered through to where they were on the threshold of the doorway.

"He's up here," Arno called loudly still staring at his peer, as Green Coat's dark eyes flashed, his fist still raised as neither man backed down or stepped away, "He'll be down in a moment."

"There's a bloke stalkin' around outside. See to it he's not a problem."

There was an incredibly tense couple of seconds between the two twenty two year olds until Green Coat shoved Arno in the shoulder with his fist and a grunt as he turned on the spot and walked away towards the new mission.

"You need to let him go," Arno called after a moment of celebrating in his head that he had stared Green Coat down and not received a right hook. With a tipsy smile, not really registering the shove, Arno too began to walk forwards after him, "If you love someone, let them go-"

Green Coat quickly stomped off towards the main stairs, descending fast as his long coat trailed on behind.

"If they love you back," Arno shouted as he reached the banister and watched the other Assassin flee, "...then they will return!"

Green Coat stopped on a step near the bottom and looked back up the stairs at Arno leaning over the banister.

"I vow that if I could shoot you without repercussions, I wouldn't hesitate."

"Is that a promise?" Arno laughed loudly, knocking his head back and drinking the last of the wine.

"Fucking drunk," Green Coat spat to himself as he jogged down the rest of the stairs.

"Well, well, well, don't let me try and save you a world of grief," Arno shouted, pointing his finger at the green figure moving towards the outer door. With the last piece of bravado he then tacked on "...and there is no need for that kind of language!"

Green Coat got the bottom of the stairs and slammed the door open with an spread palm.

"Don't let the door his your ass on the way out, Greeny-boy!"

**WHAM!**

Arno paused, not sure if he had over stepped the line as the rafter around the door way shook, but he couldn't deny what he thought and felt. The eves of the building finally stilled with the force of the door slamming. He wondered if he should have mentioned that Consus had jumped ship. Probably during sex. Arno snorted as he drank the last dregs of liquid. Consus was like a bad case of syphilis. But there was something Arno felt good about. Finally, after these past two years, he knew why Green Coat hated him.

~

It was midnight when Green Coat returned.

And Arno had neared the end of his drinking.

"They're amassing outside the Southern Wall," the lock smith Assassin said in a stiff voice, not looking at Arno as he handed rolled up parchment to Axe, "That man you had me follow was a scout. Saw him place papers down into a discreet place. They were dispatch papers; said the army are to break the siege tomorrow at dawn."

"How do we know it's genuine?" Arno asked, descending the stairs with care, empty bottle in hand, "He could have been calling your bluff. Set them down so you'd find them."

"Alright, good work," Axe said, with a nod to both Assassins in the near darkness of the tavern, stuffing the papers into his waist coat,"...either way, we need to leave within the 'our. Get back to HQ at Versailles."

Arno reached the floor of the tavern, placing the empty bottle onto the side with a tap as he moved over towards the kitchen, "You have twenty minutes to get your lover out of bed," he heard their leader say to Green Coat, thumbing over to the fireplace, "If he can't walk then we carry him."

Green Coat nodded and went up to the figure that hadn't moved on the bed. He stopped abruptly when Arno accidentally blocked his way.

The two eyeballed each other before Green Coat tilted his head to the side.

Arno sucked at his bottom teeth before he side stepped and the man passed by. He watched as Green Coat moved over to Ice Cream and decided to leave them to it. He needed to find something akin to coffee to sober him up fast. Arno scoffed. Trust himself to be partly drunk the moment orders to move were given.

~

A curled up on his side Ice Cream moaned when Green Coat sat down on the side of the partly stuffed mattress behind him.

"Ice...," the dark haired man called softy, leaning over the ginger's shoulder. "Ice, you need to wake up. We're heading out."

Ice Cream took hold of one of Green's arms with a grunt of disapproval and pulled it over himself and under his arm.

Green Coat's chest fell onto Ice's back with a soft 'umph!' He blinked at the sudden action but then smiled, feeling the familiar warmth of his partner. He gently pressed his lips to the back of a soft ear tenderly, wrapping that arm securely around the Assassin, glad the man was no longer talking in tongues.

"How are you feeling?" he whispered warmly.

"...everything aches," Ice Cream mumbled, "... I can't keep my eyes open... I can't tell what's a dream or real. It's exhausting. Sorry about the pot..."

Green Coat leaned over his partner's shoulder and saw the make-shift sick bucket of a cooking pot was sitting next to the bed and was indeed very full. "I'll take care of it," he said. Green Coat ever so slowly pulled his arm out from under Ice Cream, who squeezed trying to stop him from escaping. Green chuckled and whispered he'd only be a moment, before Ice relaxed his grip and the younger Assassin quickly got up from the bed. Chucking the thick yellow content out of a side window, the Lock Smith closed the window shut with a clunk of iron turning back to his ill partner.

_"Ice Cream was in a certain, way, when he went for me."_

Green Coat felt such a strong wave of tiredness wash over him, he didn't follow up this sudden memory as he replaced the pot next to the bed and sat down on the other side of the bed. Ice Cream tried to move his head to rest his head on the young Assassin's lap with another moan. Seeing him struggling, the sitting Assassin gently helped him. Green Coat's eyes softened as he threaded his fingers through those rich sweat drenched locks and bent down, kissing the man's forehead. 

_"Has he ever said he loves you?"_

Green Coat shut his eyes with a defiant huff. What the hell did Arno know? He didn't know about their relationship. What they had been through. They didn't need to say those words to each other for they both knew how the other man felt. But, to his utter surprise, Arno had planted a seed of doubt. And Green Coat was rushing to stomp it out before it germinated.

_"Which is odd, considering Ice's a hell of a lot older than you. You'd think he'd of let you know by now."_

Let him know by now? Know what?

Green Coat looked down at Ice Cream asleep on his lap and made a face of worry. He'd give it to the Templar bastard that fifteen years was an age gap but, apart from some things they didn't agree on, there was nothing that had caused a barrier between himself and Ice Cream. Well, except his own pride and wanting the ginger to tell him about his past. And not backing off when asked too. To the point the man had beaten him black and blue.

Suddenly Green Coat wanted Ice Cream to say "I love you."

No, the Assassin didn't need too, he thought fiercely. But Green Coat was failing at stomping that seed out. It began to grow like a vine and he knew the only way to kill it completely was to hear those three words from the other Assassin. He debated waking the man up and asking him, but that idea was shot down almost instantly. Ice Cream looked like he had been awake for days, mentally and physically, on end and was now, for once, sleeping peacefully. Green Coat decided to join him to block the doubt out, glad that Ice Cream was no longer delirious. For now. God, he wished they had a doctor there to heal Ice's head wound. He looked over at the other Assassins before leaning his spine against the stone wall and closing his eyes with a sigh, fingers stroking ginger hair.

A few minutes of rest surely couldn't hurt...

~

BANG!

Green Coat jerked awake with a start and instinctively rolled to the side, protectively over Ice Cream's body and pointed his gun wildly in the vicinity of the door-

"It's alright lad," Axe said emerging from out the corner of his eye, jogging around the main tavern door and quickly bolting it.

"What?" Green Coat stuttered from being abruptly woken up.

"The army, boy, it's here. Up, now. Chop-chop!"

"But they're not meant to be here until-wait, why didn't you wake us?" Green Coat said in a woosh of breath, forcing his brain to get into gear and orientate itself, "What time is it?"

Green Coat watched as he saw Axe go round to the other side of the bed to a confused and lethargic Ice Cream.

"Ice, lad, ya' gotta shift."

"Hnn?" the sickly man asked, skin pale.

"Come on, they're storming the city, we gotta move!" Axe said as he began to shove his open palms under the man's side and legs to lift him up.

"No, the harvest, Gale."

"Aey? Axe said, pausing, momentarily confused.

"Juliet will be angry at you again if we don't harvest the fields now-"

"Ice, what are you talking about?" Green Coat asked before Axe motioned with a hand for him to leave the bed.

"I'll take it from here, son," Axe said to Green Coat as he gently picked up the limp Assassin, the ginger having passed out, "We need a proper doctor."

A skinny teen, completely out of breath, ran in from the direction of the kitchen.

"There is an abandoned worker's cart round the back. I can't promise that the mule is still there-" Francois said in big gulps of air, as the large Assassin with Arno and Green Coat grabbed their bags and moved into the kitchen area in double time. They exited out the back way and reached the hay cart that had a thin grey mule tied to it.

"How did you get the mule?" Arno asked, impressed, as Green Coat threw his and Ice's bags into the back.

"Stole it last night from the National Guard, come on!" Francois quickly said, pushing Arno towards the hay cart.

"Impressive," Arno said, blinking his hangover away, throwing his draw string bag also into the back.

Axe gently placed the limp body into the cart, covering an unconscious Ice Cream up with straw. Once Ice was secured, Axe tapped Francois on the arm and thumbed for him to get into the hay cart too. The boy nodded, slung his bag into the back at Ice's feet, took one last look at his home and climbed into the hay.

"You got your's and his equipment?" Axe asked Green Coat who nodded, pulling up his green cowl and adjusting a small white draw string bag on his back.

"I'm ready, too," Arno said with determination, noticing the white bag was the one Ice Cream collected moss with.

"Right, here's the plan," Axe said looking over his shoulder at the empty street beyond and back at the Assassin, "And I'm gonna say this once, lads. You two need to create a diversion. Blow as much shit up as you can. Me and the boy will take this cart out of the city. Meet us at the cross roads before sun up."

Arno nodded before pausing. He was about to turn around and climb up the side of the tavern but decided to wait as he saw Green Coat climb up the side of the cart, quickly lean in and kiss Ice Cream on the head, mumbling something to his lover.

~

"Diversion, diversion..," Arno said to himself, taking out a smoke bomb from his hip. It was pitch black out and he was grateful for the natural cover. He heard the taping of feet on roof tiles and knew his comrade had arrived.

"Any ideas?" Green Coat grunted.

"Blow shit up. You're good at that as I seem to recall," Arno replied and slapped Green on the side of the shoulder with good nature as he ran up the rest of the roof to the top most chimney pot.

Green Coat followed with a deep scowl and took up position on a separate chimney.

Both Assassins, cowls up, watched the army just across the way entering the city quietly. On the opposite side of the city, a small dot of a hay trundled slowly in the other direction.

"They're going to the western wall," Green Coat said seeing the cart, flexing out his hands, feeling his blood rising with the thrill of a mission, "There are a few gates there with only one guard. Axe will make short work of them."

"Then we go East with our performance," Arno smirked.

"Follow me," Green Coat said, snapping a small black leather pouch off the side of his belt, that out fell small streams of black powder.

~

The plan was set.

Green and Arno ran as the first bombs of gunpowder went off, drawing the attention of the head group of officers that had entered the city. As they quickly headed towards the sound, the two young Assassins ran in the opposite direction. In a great circle Arno and Green Coat ran, throwing smoke bombs and anything explosive down into the streets to draw as much attention to themselves as possible. It wasn't long before they were spotted, as was planned, and they split up.

Arno, feeling that small hangover from his half a bottle bender recede, dashed across the roofs, lungs on fire as he threw his second to last custom made distraction bomb down into the empty street. Around in a circle he thundered, lept down and swung on a metal sign post, up onto a balcony, heading for the eastern wall. It was all going so well, he forgot to watch where his foot was going.

Or the bomb.

Arno leap off of a roof and upon hitting the other side, felt it give way. He crashed with much dust and brick work falling into a vacant bathroom of some house and the last explosive he had had accidentally rolled out of his hand and away towards a stair case. He froze, watching it roll and fall, bouncing and smoking down the darkened stairs with dull clunks. There was a silence in which Arno cursed, realizing his mistake before he was blown sideways and out of a window. He hit the cobbled street, straight onto his right shoulder, crying out but surprised he had only been on the ground floor and, after a moment of re-learning his left from his right, got to his feet and ran vaguely in the direction of the circle he and Green had planned to meet up at the end of-

"Oof!"

The two Assassins bumped into each other and spun on the spot from the force.

"RUN!" Arno screeched and began pelting down the road, "THAT PUB'S GONNA' BLOW!"

"THE WHAT?" Green Coat shouted as a large group of soldiers saw them, shouted and gave chase.

"The pub!" Arno shouted, his legs barreling down the street, as pings of gun fire bounced off the buildings around them, "I hope you like the smell of cider!"

**BOOOOM!**

There was an almighty explosion and both Assassins were blown forwards. Both cried out as they were lifted up and into the air, heat and acid smoke chasing them. Arno saw the grey cobbled street rising to meet his face as they hit the ground, rolling tit over arse and tumbled down a small hill. They came to a stop at the bottom, Green Coat on his back and Arno on his side with a right shoulder that was very much hurt.

Both took a second to recover as the dust settled and silence stopped ringing in their ears.

"Nice one. Dick head," Green Coat wheezed from the floor with smirk.

"Takes one to know one," Arno returned the smirk despite himself before the ground beneath them began to shake.

Buildings on either side of them started to shiver. The roofs were the first to fall then, oddly, the bottoms of the houses. Like the ground had suddenly opened up and was now swallowing the dwellings up like a gigantic mouth.

"THE CATACOMBS!" Arno shouted with realization, eyes wide, scrambling to get up. He grabbed Green Coat by the closest piece of clothing and shoved him forwards, " THEY'RE UNDER US! RUN!"

The sound was deafening as they ran. The ground behind them moaning and groaning with the force of the void of catacombs under the city that was now displacing the weight above it. Chunks of cement and brick work fell and crashed around them and, as they reached the bottom of the hill, they saw salvation.

"HEY!" Arno shouted at the hay cart across the other side of the moat-

**BAM!**

"WATCH OUT!" Green Coat shouted and pushed himself and Arno sideways as a heavy stone archway from a church fell in front of them, blocking the path and their route to the others.

"CLIMB, CLIMB, CLIMB!" Green Coat screamed and the two Assassins ascended.

"There they are! Ouvrir le feu!" a voice called out and the gun fire began again. Green Coat and Arno ran as the soldiers to the side of the church rubble shot at them. Arno could see the cart driven by Axe was quickly picking up pace, nearly out of the city and into the forest. Arno knew if he timed it right then they would catch it. All that stood between them and it was a filthy moat. Both came to a skidding stop at the edge of the putrid smelling body of water.

"Let's jump-"

"Are you nuts?!" Green Coat shrieked, "That's more shit than water!"

A ping of gun fire bounced off a stone near their heads.

"See you!" Arno shouted and jumped.

Green Coat watched him splash into the green and brown filth, surface and swim like crazy for the gate out of the city. For a moment, the Lock Smith thought he could avoid the same jump into filth if only he doubled back and ran over the bridge east from here, but made up his mind when he looked over his shoulder and saw several guards crouch onto one knee, bayonets raising.

 Green Coat shouted a loud curse and threw himself over the edge as the men opened fire.

~

"Go!" Arno shouted as he dragged a gagging Assassin from out of the same muck and onto shore.

"I'll grab ya!" Axe shouted and leaned over the side of the moving cart as Francois drove. Green Coat went first and ran, jumping into the cart, smearing the side with filth from his uniform. Arno followed, diving into the hay, and hitting his head on someone's thigh. There was a shout and a short burst of gun fire as Axe shot a guard that was running after them. Arno turned and looked over his shoulder from between the hay, very glad that they were out just as the Siege of Lyon had begun to break.

~

The Assassins continued to hide in the hay cart that, once safely out of the city, trundled along at the best pace the poor mule could handle. Down bumpy and winding country roads they meandered until there was a groan as Ice Cream came too.

"Gods, that smell, did I fall in the cow vat again?"

"Some of us did," Green Coat scoffed with a smile, glad that Ice was awake, as the mule was given a break and fed small carrots that it eagerly gobbled up.

The Assassins checked the cart over for damage and apart from a few new bullet holes it had gained, they were able to now aim for getting to a guest house without walking.

"We need horses," Axe said patting the mule on the head, before giving it a scratch behind a black and grey ear, "You're a star, mate, but you ain't gonna take us all the way to HQ."

Francois faintly sobbed.

Arno turned from scrubbing dried muck off his person and inspecting the reigns to see the teenager standing on the top most rock of the hill they were resting on. The Ex-Templar put the mule's reigns down and joined him.

"Francois?"

The boy didn't say anything as he stared, eyes wet and red at the scene before him as Arno too observed.

Tall smoke pillars of the city of Lyon were rising high. The entire left side of the city wall had been destroyed. The two once proud standing lions had been toppled and were being used to support the ammunition for trebuchets.

"Tell me, Monsieur Arno," Francois said with a large sniff, "Will everything be back to normal once this is over?"

"I hope so," Arno breathed through his nostril sadly for he knew why Francois was crying. His tavern, his entire livelihood, was in the eastern district and was now mostly destroyed as a huge fire ate at the city.

And Arno, in all his foul smelling uniform knew, that this was the true face, not of Assassins against Templars, but of The French Revolution.

Nothing was going to be the same again.

~

The group rode in silence, the stench finally over powering all of them. At the first river they came too, Axe ordered that Arno and Green Coat stripped and quickly wash their uniforms as Francois and Axe threw out all the hay that now stank of nothing but human excrement, kicking dirt over it so as not to draw attention to the fact they had stopped there. A few hours later, with all of them in the cart, a smell still lingering, Ice Cream regained full consciousness and had to be filled in on the details of their escape. They arrived at a half way house with an utterly exhausted but now well feed mule and managed to secure three horses in exchange for the mule, cart, money and a spare pistol.

Axe lead them as they traveled, followed by Arno and Francois on one horse and the lovers on another. After a few more hours of riding flat out, a thick fog descend onto the group. They walked slowly until their three horses rode into sight of the HQ.

Arno felt his chest rise, as they entered into the main gardens, but it suddenly fell. He blinked. Something was off. Arno paused in the thick fog, halting his horse as Axe too got the twinge and stopped his steed on the road.

"That's strange," Francois whispered from behind Arno, as they all looked at the Royal Guest House appearing and disappearing from within the fog clouds, "...why are there no lights on?"

"That's what's scaring me," Arno said before he saw Axe urge his horse to move and the beast galloped up the pathway. The two other men followed on their horse least they lost Axe in the fog until there was a cold shiver down Arno's back.

Something was wrong.

Very, very wrong.

Arno urged his horse to follow the others to keep them in sight, hooves crunching on the gravel, but soon he forced the beast to stop on the path as he looked over his shoulder and saw, in the darkness and fog, a tattered white tent suddenly appear not far from the road. Only one, his brain told him, which made Arno confused. Last time he had been here, there had been many tents, if not hundreds. And people. Arno turned to Francois behind him.

"Where's the tent village?"

**BANG!**

Arno's horse jerked back as Axe's horse further up the road was shot in the neck and the beast and Assassin went down with a horrified cry.

"It's a trap!" Green Coat screamed before there was another thunder like boom and the Lock Picker and Lock Smith Assassin's mare bucked, screaming in terror. The ginger half fell off the horse with a cry, his wrist trapped in the reigns as Green Coat tumbled off with a shout, his body flung over the side of the horse and onto the road.

"ICE!" Arno shouted and fired his pistol at the tree the smoke of gun fire had come from. The gun found it's target as a body fell out of a tree.

But it was of no help.

Men from both sides of the pathway ran, shouting and hollowing, descending on the Assassins from within the fog.

Arno, kicked his horse forward, feeling Francois hold on tight as the animal galloped towards the men. He snapped his wrists back just as a bandit rose a sword to attack Axe before a voice called out.

"Forgive me, Gentlemen!" Frederic's voice shouted into the night.

Suddenly a line of fire jumped from the window of the HQ where Frederic's voice had come from, across the lawn and snaked it's way protectively around the group of downed men. It grabbed the man at Axe's throat around the neck and pulled, throwing the goon up and into the air. The Templar's men recoiled as the fire lit up the fog into intense yellows and golds. The thugs ran as the fire lashed out at the men behind them in whip like snake forms. The Assassin's horses all bucked and kicked out at the fire, jostling together for safety within the middle of the circle. A retreat was sounded and the bandits vanished into the fog and surrounding forest. Then, just as quickly, the fire that had burnt a protective circle around the Assassins vanished in a wisp of green and purple hues.

The five men stared in shock at each other before Green Coat reacted first, moving to help Ice Cream from his entrapment.

"Frederic!" Arno shouted at the HQ building at the top of the drive way.

"You go!" Axe shouted at a shaken Arno, as Ice Cream cried out at his wrist being freed from the tangle of reigns by their leader, falling to the floor clutching his hand, "Get Frederic to tell us what the bloody hell is going on!""

~

Arno ran towards the main building fully expecting to be shot at again. He dived behind a series of bushes, crouching on his haunches. But there was nothing. No movement from the house or light. He took his chance and sprinted up the few stone steps, glad the fog was as thick as it was, reached the double doors and saw one of them was bent off it's hinges. The after stench of acidic smoke bombs bit into the inside of his nose and he scrunched up his eyes. A battle had been fought here within the past hour.

A very violent one.

The young man entered, pistol drawn and was greeted by a sight that took his breath away. Bodies. Slumped over the stairs and banisters, across the floor, all appearing sleep with eyes open. Men and women of all ages including several Assassins. He paused, dumb founded. His boots crunched along the shattered glass as the sound echoed in the space.

"Jesus Christ...," Arno cursed under his breath, before he inhaled sharply and bellowed.

"FREDERIC?!"

No answer.

Ignoring the fact that he had just accidentally given away his position should there be any hostiles nearby, he slowly inched his way towards the main stairs. He reached the bottom step, feeling a pang of sadness of how he recognized two Assassins, one male and one female, slumped over in each other's arms on the bottom of the staircase. Arno looked up the stairs and paused, seeing a huge cross in red painted on the walls behind them.

The Templar insignia.

"They've taken everything," Arno muttered to himself as he looked around himself in a circle. The walls were barren. Smashed glass everywhere but everything gold was absent. He then heard a faint tinkering. Arno stopped, his hearing zeroing in on it. Arno cocked his gun at the ready as he slowly inched his way towards the sound coming from a distant room upstairs. It was repeating over and over again. Wait, he knew that tune...

Arno took the steps two at a time and headed for the source of the noise. If Frederic managed to stay alive then there was a great possibility Templars had too. He carefully inched his way round the open rooms but found nothing but torn cloth, horror and destruction. Then Arno came to a room that was shut. He pressed his ear to the wooden and bullet peppered door and heard that metallic tune playing.

_"Oh my Darling, Oh My Darling Clementine..."_

Arno steeled himself and tried the handle. Locked. Arno stepped back, breathed in and kicked the lock door down with such a strong kick that the sound echoed painfully into the empty entrance hallway, as splinters flew into his face.

Arno pointed his gun into the room.

The room was untouched. Gold ornaments still stood proudly on the fire place. Painting of landscapes still upon the walls. A small dying fire and books and papers neatly laid out on the table. Such a contrast hit the ex-Templars senses and he was momentarily distracted.

Why was this room unharmed?

Arno stepped into the room and saw a figure off near the window. Arno thought he was sleeping at first. But the red trail across the mirror behind where the Assassin was sat and slumped over betrayed the reality. The black haired Assassin, eyes wide open, a smile still on his lips with a blood line down to a chin, dripping onto his green jacket and beaded red sash. In his gloved hand was a small music box playing that familiar tune over and over again with the lion statue sitting innocently on the windowsill, staring out into the gardens, steam wafting softly from its form.

Arno felt time stop as he lowered his gun.

There was nothing he could do.

Frederic de la Vert was dead.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: Noooo, Frederic! :O (Pardon the very late updating of this chapter, I moved to a new job and production got pretty intense!)
> 
> History Note:  
> The Siege of Lyon lasted three weeks and, upon it's surrender, there are reports that the people were given quarter for officials were said to have blamed the odd fog that surrounded the city; saying it had caused madness in the people. However, there are reports of some people being accused of being Royalists and executed. The city then received a new name of Ville-Affranchie with the notion that "Lyon made war on liberty: Lyon is no more!"
> 
> For more historical information on The Siege of Lyon:  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Lyon  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolt_of_Lyon_against_the_National_Convention
> 
> British Note: Two fingered Salute aka the Inverted V is an insult.  
> Bursting for a slash = Needing to urinate.


	44. (E) Cats Hate Bags

**WARNING: The following chapter contains strong sexual content**.

~

"That would be good, wouldn't it? Breaking both my wrists within six months of each other," Ice Cream chuckled to lighten the mood with a self deprecated smirk before it was over taken by a wince as Green Coat finally pulled the last black cord of reigns off from around the man's trapped wrist. Dirt clung to the Assassin's uniforms, having both been thrown off of their shared horse. Green Coat rotated his right and very sore shoulder, having it be the unfortunate first point of contact when he had impacted upon the ground.

"Can you move it?"

"Oui," Ice Cream said, flexing his fingers out in front of his face as Green Coat slowly took the leather glove off of his partner's hand to inspect for any bruising.

Axe gingerly touched the top of his own cheek and made a face as his left eyelid started to swell. "Well, I got me a shine-ner," the brown haired Assassin said with a smirk, still trying to shake off the sudden dramatic turn of events of being jumped. He scanned the area around them for any further threats, still pressing here and there under his eye, "Been a while since I got one of...'em...Fred?"

All eyes turned to see a figure walking slowly out of the fog covered building. The man approached them with a small box in his hand which was gently playing a sweet melody into the night time air.

_"Oh my darling, oh my darling"_

The Lock Smith helped his Lock Picker to stand as Arno approached them, the lyrics to the popular song echoing in the Ex-Templar's and Assassin's heads.

_"Oh my darling, Clementine..."_

Axe stepped forwards with a questioning look as Arno reached them.

"Lad?"

_"You are lost and gone forever..."_

Arno said nothing as he stopped, paused for a moment and then handed the small box to Green Coat.

"I'm sorry."

_"Oh my darling, Clementine..."_

Green Coat stared at the still playing musical box in his hands. Small specks of red liquid peppered the top, but other wise the gold decorations shone through in the darkness. The man blinked confused for a second as the song came to an end and clicked, the winding mechanism coming to a halt. The dark haired Assassin still looked baffled at the others next to him and then back to Arno.

"There was nothing I could," Arno said, eyes to the ground, "so-"

Without a word, Green Coat's eyes widened before he sprinted in a loud scrape of gravel towards the building, box in hand.

Axe helped Ice Cream up the small grassy bank and the Assassins followed Green Coat, running up the short pathway to the front door of the Assassin's Royal Guest House; their make-shift HQ.

"Keep a hold of 'em!" Axe, that nasty bruise below his eye still forming, bellowed to Francois, pointing to their remaining steeds.

The badly shaken up teen nodded and grabbed the reigns of the two animals who were sheltering in the nearby trees together for safety. The smell of smoke from the faintly burning grass, and their shot dead fellow horse lying on the drive away, frightening them. The beasts nickered and snorted as Francois approached.

Arno did not join his comrades. He didn't even help Francois. He stood on the spot, numb and annoyed that he didn't know what to do next. He called forth his Assassin training. Nothing. He called forth his Templar training. Nothing. For drowning out everything inside his head was the song _Oh My Darling Clementine._ It softly played in his mind, in time to the small crackles of burnt lawn around him. He wished he had not seen Frederic. Not seen the bodies. Not seen, of what disturbed him the most; of the couple he remembered, from the meeting with Master Connor months ago, who had been planning their wedding. Dead on the stairs in each other's arms.

"Monsieur Arno, what happened? Your boots are all bloody!"

Arno jerked in surprise, not realizing the boy had finished his task. He cast his eyes downwards and saw the soles of his leather knee high boots and around the heels were deep scarlet. He swallowed and tried nodding to the beasts who were now standing tethered in the tavern owner's hand, ears twitching and snorting, a hoof stamping in agitation. Arno fixated on them. The horses. Stables. Yes, that was something to do. Get them to the stables. Secure them. Then lock down the building. Secure it.

"Right, Axe would...want these in the stables and the grounds cleared for...for threats," Arno said, weakly pointing to the beasts and the environment around them. The Ex-Templar saw the Novice look at him and then turn his curly head, focusing on the main building between the fog.

"See to it, Francois, if you please."

"Oui, Monsieur...," the boy said distantly, still staring at the building and not at Arno.

The Ex Templar knew the Novice wanted to join the Assassins when a cold shiver washed over him.

"Francois, I want you to promise me something, as God as your witness."

"...yes?" Francois asked, turning his head back and making worried eye contact with Arno.

"Do not go in there."

~

"Oh my God," Ice Cream gasped as the three of them saw what lay behind the main doors.

"...this....this wasn't...," Axe tried to say, eyes wide at the scene before him.

The men slowly entered, dumb founded, as the fog from outside slowly seeped into the building around their ankles, their boots smearing blood and muck across the marble floor.

The Assassins, after a moment of pure overload of sight and smell of the stench of spent smoke bombs and horror, all gazed upwards and saw the red offensive cross at the top of the staircase.

"We....we need...," Axe began, but wasn't sure what he meant to say before his Assassin training took over, "Find Frederic, Green. I'll find Camille and the little'in. Ice, check for survivors..."

Ice Cream didn't respond immediately. The command moved like thick treacle through his brain to his limbs. It wasn't until Axe, after a moment of pausing as well, had moved suddenly off to his right that the action shook Ice Cream mentally. He began scanning the bodies, checking here and there for those who they could save, Assassin or towns folk alike. Green Coat also mentally switched into his training, forced his legs to move and sprinted towards the stairs. The line of fire had erupted from the top floor window, had it not? They had to find out what happened and why. At least they knew Frederic was still alive having activated the Lion Statue, Green Coat thought fiercely. So why did Arno bring him Camille's music box?

~

Arno sat down slowly onto the bottom of the stone steps that lead up towards the main set of battered doors, having made sure no thugs were still hiding in the gardens. He rested his arms on his laps, hunched over and stared into the night time fog. Unsure of what to do, he took out his pocket watch and flipped it open. He stared at the face as the minute hand ticked over and over, stuck in one place. Time frozen and never moving forward. Ironically he felt similar. He sighed and flipped the pocket watch shut.

He didn't want to be near the others when they found Frederic.

Hearing crickets chirping and the odd owl hooting in the night, Arno stared into the middle distance. He returned the watch to it's place and took a shiny badge out from his other pocket and twirled it around in his fingers. The brutes that had gone for them were indeed employed by the Templars. This pin had come from the one he had shot in the trees, having looted several of the bodies of their attackers as Francois had taken the horses away. But something was off. The thugs looked like possessed peasants. Their clothes were ragged, teeth bad and they were everything Templar agents didn't, or shouldn't, appear as. Heck, even those men who attacked himself and Ice Cream on the carriage ride months ago had been wearing sharp coats and hats. But not these men. So why did one of them have a Templar symbol in his possession? Did he steal it? Arno saw the blurred out shade of red and refocused his eyes looking down behind the pin between his fingers. He saw his boots were indeed soiled with blood. Arno pulled his left heel back on the grass and then the right, trying to wipe them-

Suddenly there were foot steps behind him and Arno turned his numb head to see Ice Cream stumble out of the door, bend over and throw up into the topiary bushes, hands on knees. Arno was aware of his own breathing as he watched Ice Cream cough, half sobbing between the vomiting, with each action trying to win out over the other. When the copper haired Assassin had finally stopped, there was a silent moment that Arno filled. He wasn't sure at first why he had said it but it seemed the right thing to do.

"I didn't kill him."

As if on cue, Ice Cream looked to his left at the voice and saw Arno sitting by himself holding a Templar Badge in his hands.

The men locked eyes and Arno wondered if Ice Cream knew their eyes were both as blood shot as the other's.

That was when they heard Green Coat scream.

~

Two days had passed.

And the Assassins were still in a deep state of shock.

Which was odd for Assassins for, by the very nature of their work, are used to death and professionally dealing with such traumatic matters on a daily basis. Had they not sunk their hidden blades into guards? Why? All in the name of the Creed, they would say, it was nothing personal. Had they not torn those guard's families apart? Why? Again in the name of the Creed and for the 'greater good'. But the scale of what transpired in the entrance hall was unlike anything they had seen before and Arno was starting to wonder if the Assassins and Templars were different sides of the same coin of unforgiving dogma.

From the numbers and different 'A' designs on the hoods they found, as they performed the last rights and cremated the bodies of both Assassins and towns people alike in the court yard, the level of devastation became clearer: three of the Brotherhoods, the Austrian, Spanish and Danish, were now extinct. The decimation of the Assassins and of the entire tent village of people fleeing the revolution was written onto parchment and sent to Master Connor's American Brotherhood. And also, curiously enough, to another person in a secret location, known only by, of course, Axe.

"Get them names recorded in the ledger, too," their exhausted leader growled to Ice Cream that evening, gesturing to the bodies, "And if you don't know it.. give 'em one."

Arno swallowed bile as he lifted toppled tables back up to their positions, hating how the entire building was silent and stank of smoke if the wind was blowing in the wrong direction across the pyres burning in the court yard. He scrubbed odd black chard circles off the walls, very similar to the ones in the Salmacis trap. He also swept up broken glass, under the orders of Axe, who was determined to restore some sense of normality before they made their next move. Routine became the Assassin's best friend as they all concluded that their small group were most likely the only ones left of the French Brotherhood. What the hell were the Assassins playing at having all their groups in one place, Arno mused. Didn't they know that was inviting danger?

On the fifth day, Axe announced, upon a tired pigeon returning through an open window, that a letter confirmed Britain's over seas group, at the death of Frederic, now had one sole survivor, who had the fortune of being cast out; Henri de la Vert. The letter said the man had checked in two weeks ago and asked for his last known position. But neither Ice Cream nor Green Coat knew where the old man was.

"We need to gather what we can," the bearded axe carrying Assassin said in a hushed voice to the group assembled after a hard day of moving the dead and cleaning. He sat near the fire in deep thought, his left eye still swollen shut and purple where that thug had hit him during the trap, "Salvage. Food, medicine... if there is any left in this bloody place..."

"We...," Ice Cream said in an equally exhausted voice, having returned from seeing that the last of the dead were given their rights on the pyres. He sat on a plush sofa near the fire on the opposite side, a moth eaten blanket wrapped round his shoulders, with Green Coat next to him, "We need to...check the grounds for any more survivors. Surely some of those in the tent village got away?"

"I don't think there's any," a quiet and tiny voice, next to Arno on the opposite sofa, said.

Arno looked to his left at Alexina. She was the only one they had found alive in the entire building. Francois had discovered her, bloody and bruised, shivering in a barrel in the basement when he had gone to check their food stores. Her right leg had been broken but she had survived because, as she explained it, Frederic had placed her there to hide. She had cried when they told her he had not been as fortunate as she.

Ice Cream held Green Coat's hand under the blanket, but the dark haired man seemed to barely notice anything else around him. His food platter remained untouched on the coffee table where all their empty plates were sat. Out of all of them, as was to be expected, Green Coat looked gaunt and thin from the loss of Frederic. He had aged in the past week and, for it was an open secret, that it was only because Ice Cream was sitting next to him that he could stand to be in the same room as Arno. The two lovers had kept very close to one another other but once Arno had seen his mean peer start to show signs of hyperventilation that Ice Cream wasn't at a meeting point in the grounds during their search for survivors; the ginger having innocently snuck off to relieve his bladder and not told anyone.

Green Coat was silent, as Alexina spoke of her account of the events, with his eyes unfocused at his untouched meal on the table.

 "Take your time, Alex," Francois had gently said on her other side, "No rush."

Alexina had smiled and nodded with a deep breath.

The Council of Assassins, she said, had declared that the Lion, now with the diamonds in place, was finally in the hands of the Brotherhood. Thus, it should be tested on the city of Lyon, for it was a low risk test given the low population, before they aimed it at the Templar strong holds of the world. This the group of men, by the fire, knew. If proven to be a powerful Piece of Eden then this would give the Assassins an enormous leg up in the long running battle between the two factions. Frederic, Alexina said, had taken the lead in the demonstration. He had placed the Lion on the window ledge, reluctantly, in the direction of Lyon. He had, she said, vehemently argued with the Council's representative that Lyon shouldn't be the target but ultimately lost to the authority he was bound to obey. Master Connor had left soon after.

"That's why Master Connor came to us," Axe said with a heavy voice, looking around the room at his men, "He told me all this. And that even though the Council knew we were in the firing line, they were goin' to activate the Piece of Eden, anyhow. He wasn't sure what exactly was to happen but Master Connor knew we stood a better chance of survival if we barricaded ourselves in."

"Then what happened?" Arno asked looking at Alexina.

"Next day...a message was sent out that all Assassins should come to this building...to celebrate. That we had the Lion and were finally in a position to win..."

"Which explains why there were so many Assassin's in one place," Arno said with bitterness.

"The day after...when everyone had arrived...The Lion was put on show..."

Francois rubbed Alexina's back as she faltered.

"Both eyes were lit up from behind with candles in the same manner as before and the same thing happened; the eyes, staring out of the window, glowed and the ceiling lit up with those pretty colours. But something was wrong. The sky outside didn't light up this time. The colours were stronger, forming into shapes and spirals on the ceiling. There was a...burning smell...," she said "..and the eyes glowed yellow then a brilliant white."

Alexina had trouble explaining the next part, but gently urged on, she sobbed as she said the statue then began to emit a white cloud of steam from it's back that grew and grew.

"It was so scary, many of us left the room," she said, "We shouted at Frederic to stop it, to take the diamonds out. But that bastard from the Council told us to hold our positions. The cloud grew and glided out of the room, escaping through the narrow vertical slit in the door way. That's when we heard it," Alexina said, her eyes still in the past.

"What did you hear?" Arno asked.

"An almighty screeching sound...it echoed in the hall way down stairs."

Green Coat's circled and blood shot eyes looked up from between his black inky hair.

"Some Assassins ran out of the room to see what it was, including me," Alexina continued, "That was when we saw the mist..."

The Assassins, bar Green Coat, all shared a look.

"It had eyes...," Alexina whispered in a trance, "Eye of red... We shouted for Frederic to shut the lion off but the statue was boiling hot. It burned his hand when he touched it and he dropped it back onto the window ledge..then...then..."

Alexina put her hands over her face and sobbed out the rest of the story.

"This voice kept chanting... it-it-it was coming from the w-walls, the floors, everywhere. It was in my head!"

"What did it say?" Francois asked, gently.

"I don't know, I couldn't understand it...Res...Oculus...-"

"Oculus...?" Arno frowned.

"Was it...respice in...in oculis meis?" Ice Cream added.

"That was it," Alexina sniffed.

"Look into my eyes," Ice Cream gasped, a hand to his mouth, "Good Lord..."

Alexina coughed wetly, taking a handkerchief offered from Francois. "Next I knew," she sniffed, "There was screaming and bursts of light everywhere. Like lightning but it was as if it had a mind of it's own. I ran but tripped. I fell down the stairs, right in front of it. It looked at me with those red eyes and then away. Like it hadn't seen me. Then that nice couple on the stairs... I didn't know what to do, I couldn't move as my leg had broken. I tried to crawl away but the mist continued shocking everyone until it moved away and up the stairs, attacking those who got in it's way. It was if it was searching for someone. It looked at each and every one of us before it struck..."

"How did Frederic save you?" Axe asked.

"I don't know, I felt someone grab my arm and pick me up. I knew it was him because of his coat and beaded sash. He carried me to the basement, putting me in that barrel...," Alexina's voice faltered, "There was so much screaming..."

The Assassins were quiet.

"It was looking for someone," Arno said with a low voice.

"Who?" Francois asked.

"Consus."

All eyes went to Green Coat. The first word he had said since he had found Frederic.

"Do you know how, Alexina," Axe said, one eye shut, "...that Templar insignia got on th' wall?"

Alexina nodded, blowing her noise into the tissue.

"How?"

"...before Frederic picked me up, when the mist thing went up the stairs....people who were not struck started turning on each other. I saw...Assassins killing Assassins...killing the towns people...like they were being controlled. The council representative drew the Templar mark."

There was a stunned silence.

"...it was as if that th-th-thing that came out of the Lion," Alexina stuttered before finally dissolving into tears, 'm-m-made us all go mad with blood lust."

"Did the Representative flee?" Axe tried to ask but it was to no avail.

"It's alright, you don't have to speak anymore," Francois said, patting her on the back as Alexina cried loudly into her handkerchief, before the boy looked up at the Assassins, "Does she?"

"No," Axe said looking back at the fire, with one eye, "I've heard enough."

~

Green Coat stared into space as Ice Cream began to turn the shower on.

The muck and grime from the effort of making numerous pyres for the victims matted his hair, skin and ate at his soul and limbs. Where as Arno with Francois had cleaned the inside of the building, it had been up to the couple to deal with the dead.

Ice Cream had recited the Lord's Prayer, and when he reached a Brother; then he recited the Assassin's Creed, at the side of each of the burning piles of wood as Green Coat prepared the next one. It would have been exhausting had it not been for the overwhelming feeling of numbness at it all.

Green Coat couldn't feel anything any more. Only this empty void. Even seeing Ice Cream now naked didn't banish this. It would have been an erotic moment, one that he would have taken no time in sharing pleasures with his partner at the prospect of a joint shower...had it not been for the past week.

The young Assassin watched the head of the shower groan and then with a shake and a shudder as Ice Cream successfully turned the plumbing on. He started to breathe hard, flashbacks to the tomb, of water pipes gurgling and shaking, pumping water into a trap that almost cost Axe and Ice Cream their lives. If Arno hadn't have had the idea of pushing the lion statue onto the roof of the trap-

Green Coat jumped as the white and frothy water suddenly spurted forcefully out of the shower head. It steadied itself into a steady stream of welcoming warm water. The shower was really a tiled area of blue and white, with a drain in the middle, just big enough to fit both of them standing. Green Coat stared at the drain at his feet, watching the water falling in front of him, not registering Ice Cream gently pushing him forwards more into the stream. The water hit his naked body and hair as he gasped and stilled, his body covered in goosebumps at the change of temperature.

Ice Cream stepped into the stream behind him and placed a guiding hand on the man's spine, over those old scars.

"We should wash," Ice Cream offered softly but Green Coat didn't respond.

The Lock Smith watched the beads of water falling down from the ends of his shoulder length black hair in front of him. He stared at the clear crystal like liquid. It was the water. The Lion controlled the water in everyone. Could make people do things. Wasn't that what Axe and Frederic had said? The Mist Creature was pure steam, wasn't it? Was anything with water now a danger? Suddenly Green Coat jerked backwards in paranoia, out of the stream of hot water as if it was acid.

Ice Cream looked at him from under the shower, water flowing through his red hair, with pleading eyes and empty arms.

"It's the water," Green Coat said with wide eyes, almost delirious, "It's how it made everyone murder..."

Ice Cream let a sad sob out, before he got a hold of himself, wiped his nose with the back of his hand and blinked under the stream of water.

"What have we gotten into, Ice?" the twenty-two year old Assassin said, his body dripping with water, "Why did he have to die..."

"I don't know...," Ice Cream shook his head with sorrow as steam began to build in the room, "All I know is...I'm frightened...and I miss Frederic, too..."

Green Coat felt a thread of clarity shine through as Ice Cream held out his hand towards him. He gazed down at that palm and saw part of the Latin branding that had been forced upon his lover. He grabbed his wet Lock Picker by the out stretched hand, as if that thread of clarity was manifesting itself and he slowly returned to standing under the shower.

Green Coat glanced to the side and saw the blood, ash and grime washing off their bodies together. It reminded him of the time he had washed Ice Cream's back after the storming of the Bastille. They had raced each other back then. It seemed like decades ago...

Green Coat closed his eyes in anguish as he felt that jerk of his ribs give out into a sob. He had not cried yet. Too confused and in denial to believe Frederic was truly gone. Neither he, nor Ice Cream, had mentioned Frederic by name until this very moment. Green Coat didn't want to acknowledge his adoptive father was no longer there to annoy him with chatter and he had done a very good job of convincing himself it was all a trick. By becoming numb. But now alone with Ice Cream, who had just said he was missing Frederic too, and the song from that blasted music box that wouldn't leave him alone; it was the deafening tune of a key that broke the lock to his resolve.

Feeling like his chest was being stabbed, Green Coat felt the hot tears break free as he breathed in a ragged breath and let his anguish out in a loud guttural cry as his shoulders shook under the shower. For it was due in part from moving the bodies, to seeing so many Assassin's careers end in blood, to Alexina's words and even Arno placing that fucking seed of doubt into his head that Ice Cream had not said "I love you" yet. But the thing that finally forced the tides open and rendered him utterly vulnerable in this present moment was the peaceful smile on Frederic's face when he found him that wouldn't leave his mind. And the fact that the Assassin couple who met their end on the staircase, could very well have been himself and Ice Cream.

Green Coat felt himself starting to go dizzy as he continued to let his vocal pain out and scrunched his eyes shut, trying to stop the tears for they were coming too fast for him to deal with. Why couldn't he shut this all out?! He would give anything to have some respite. Even from the God damn tune tinkering around in his mind that would forever be associated with his adoptive father.

He was sobbing so hard that he didn't even notice that Ice Cream had gently taken hold of him within the safety of his arms.

Green Coat's breath hitched as Ice Cream gently kissed his nose, his cheeks and forehead. Green Coat opened up his eyes, trying to stop the heaving in his chest, blinking blurry vision free from either tears or water, he didn't know. He wanted and needed something to take away the pain and he gazed in pure wonder that his partner had found a way. He looked deep into Ice Cream's blue eyes and asked for permission.

Ice Cream nodded.

Green Coat pressed his mouth gently to Ice's, tasting salt from tears he wasn't sure were his own. They kissed slowly and a fire sparked and grew in the younger Assassin's belly. It burned and destroyed the grief, and showed him a way out of this pain so fast that it was with a forceful growl he suddenly crushed their mouths together, as Green Coat pulled the other Assassin to him. He needed to feel, to know that this pain he was feeling wasn't just his burden alone. That Ice Cream could help him fill the void.

Green Coat pushed Ice Cream's back up against the cold tiled wall of the shower with a grunt, sucking on the Assassin's neck with the ginger pulling Green's ass towards him. Each desperate for release from the horror around them. The younger Assassin guided himself to that deep heat and entered. They made loud, hard and fast love against that wall, not caring if the others heard them. For so long they had tried to keep their attraction for the other Assassin to themselves but both were so far into grief that this moment of passion helped to dull, even to forget, the pain. For one glorious moment in time only they mattered to each other. Like after the Bastille, Green Coat channeled his fear into every thrust into his partner and Ice Cream let it consume and eat him. It wasn't long that Green Coat came with a shout as Ice Cream too found release. It took a moment for them to both register that the water was colder than when they started, before they managed to finish their joint shower and collapse into bed, exhausted. Now too tired to cry or morn. It was intoxicating this feeling of escaping through love making, Green Coat mused, as they cuddled in a warm haze of body heat.

The pain had numbed into something akin to normality.

But soon that void returned the moment Green Coat woke up the next day.

~

 It was Ice Cream who held Frederic's funeral.

And Arno, on Axe's advice, had not joined them.

Francois had kept his promise to the Ex-Templar and he had not seen the carnage in the entrance hall. But he had seen the five by five lines of horrific smelling piles of wood that burned day and night. He kept to Alexina and Arno's sides as the others gathered in the courtyard and said their last goodbyes to Frederic; the last pyre to be cremated. The boy tried to pretend he didn't know what had gone on inside the HQ. Or that Ice Cream was still being sick. Francois had proposed sitting and passing the time with small chat in the gardens, while the funeral was held, to Arno and Alexina. But after ten minutes of sitting in silence, and seeing the last tall pillar of smoke rise from behind the building, the three decided it was more beneficial to continue cleaning until the other men returned. Elbow grease always altered the mind to higher levels of state, he had been told by his father. Thus he put sound advice to good use. But as he and Arno helped Alexina walk back into the building, Francois looked up to the heavens and offered a small prayer of thanks to Frederic, hoping the man had found peace along side his adoptive father.

An hour later, the entrance hall was now as clean as they could get it and it wasn't long before Alexina began repainting the door. She was still in the grips of shock and was too tired to talk more about what had happened. But as the days would come, Arno was hoping she would emerge out of her shell slowly by helping the building to be repaired. Having not known Frederic that long, Arno wasn't as concerned at being asked to keep away from Frederic's funeral. But still, he wanted to be included as that caring and happy man was someone he had wanted to get to know further. But he didn't have a deep past link with the man like the other Assassins did. 

He knew that Francois and Alexina had both been invited to Frederic's funeral.

Alexina said it was too much for her and, while Francois showed signs of wanting to go at having being told Frederic had helped him into the world with Axe, the boy stuck with the two of them. The two men took it as the need for Alexina to have a support group around her and to physically help her get around on crutches. But the trio knew the truth of why none of them attended; They didn't want to be near an emotionally unstable Green Coat. For as the fire from Frederic's pyre burned in a sea of orange; everyone saw the vivid purple and green Northern Lights dance in the midnight sky.

~

Neither Frederic's wife Camille, or their son, were anywhere to be found. Which was solved early on when Alexina, over a hot bowl of soup, whispered that they had both gone to stay at Axe's sister-in-law's on the advice of Mirabeau, several hours before the carnage. Upon hearing this news and wanting to confirm it with his own eyes, Axe had left on the spot, leaving Ice Cream in charge until his return.

He had been gone a week and three days.

With Ice Cream now in charge, a bulletin was sent out to re-connect to any groups of Assassins that were not in the building at the time of the carnage. But they got no response, save for one short letter from a lone Brother in Syria who wasn't able to make the initial journey. The group of men tried their best to finish up the tidying, renovating where ever they could, or what little of it was left so that any Assassins, or town folk, that had managed to get away could re-join them.

Time passed as the small group managed to start putting what happened behind them and focus on the future. Planning their next move with a rapidly altering political landscape of the French Revolution.

But one of them couldn't move on.

Green Coat was aloof. Working in silence, he never spoke unless he was with the ginger Assassin. And this ginger Assassin, on the other hand, had near verbal diarrhea. He just wouldn't stop talking. Especially as he paced around the many rooms, detailing what could have happened in the moments leading up to the Mist Creature appearing and how they could protect themselves if it happened again. The change had started the moment Axe had left him in charge and even Francois had mentioned to Arno over dinner that Ice Cream's chattering was getting too much.

Francois was taking sole care of Alexina, who was now chair bound. They had found, by no way of a short miracle, a local doctor two villages down who said that while she will walk again, it was to take many weeks of healing. Her Assassin career was on hold. If she even wanted to continue with it.

Arno had tried to get Ice Cream to see the doctor before he left about his gut worm.

But the Assassin snapped at him loudly and refused.

~

 Green Coat was making love to Ice Cream daily now.

Which wasn't a problem for the ginger, however, he noticed it was becoming more frequent, harsher and that Green Coat was becoming almost addicted to it.

At first Ice Cream welcomed this. He too saw the allure of using sex as a way of dealing with the pain of loosing Frederic and of the Brotherhood. But as time went on, Ice Cream found keeping busy with his Assassin duties helped him to work through his loss. He had tried to coax his twenty two year old partner into doing the same or discussing his feelings, but the younger Assassin dismissed everything except one method; he wanted to literally fuck the pain away. Nothing else seemed to help the man get through the day.

Ice Cream had taken the initiative a few times and tried again to gently coax and seduce the man with gentle touches and kisses, getting him to emotionally open up, which always worked like a calming spell in the past. Ice Cream wondered if this was the first big loss in his lover's life. He saw similarities to how he behaved after Henri had deserted him and when Axe had taken him in on his farm. But the lithe Lock Picker remembered that Green Coat had lost someone before; his father, who apparently was still alive somewhere out there. But no one knew where. Green Coat's mother, Ice Cream had no idea on, but had a feeling Vincent had never met her.  But even though he tried to help, Green Coat's deep grief was like an animal, fast turning into anger at the world around him the longer he kept silent outside of the bedroom. Sexual intercourse seemed to dampen it down for a few hours so Vincent could function before setting off on his intelligence gathering.

When he wasn't busy on his hands and knees getting carpet burn or biting his lip to not let the others hear Green Coat constantly mounting him, Ice Cream started to write his ramblings and theories down, Francois telling him his words would serve better purpose being recorded than spat to the four winds.

As the appointed leader of the French Brotherhood while Axe was away, he wrote detailed accounts of the day. Every thing was recorded in long hand that concerned the Lion, his team mates and even the weather, as so to bring Axe better up to speed upon his arrival. Minus his personal intimacies with Green Coat. Although Ice Cream did draw small hash marks next to the dated pages to count how many times Vincent had made successful advances upon him.

He felt his coat pocket heavy with the lion statue which stayed with him around the clock. Completely blind, the diamonds locked away in two separate safes: one in the basement and the other in the attic. Ice Cream directed his own bulk of grief at loosing Frederic in organizing the HQ to the point of being anal. He also aimed it at the Lion. Studying the carving constantly for changes. But it made no sound or movement. Ice had shouted at it, threatened it, pleaded with it in English, French and Latin, to tell him why a creature of mist had erupted out of it's body. Why Frederic had died with a smile on his face.

But the statue remained as it was; just a statue.

And Ice Cream would be damned if he was to put the diamonds in it's eyes. But he needed to know why the mist creature left Alexina alone. Ice Cream had a hunch but it was only just that. He needed evidence.

When he wasn't trying to tame the unknown, Ice Cream took again to micro-managing the other's time and giving Alexina and Francois their orders. Arno took over the last of the physical rebuilding and repairs the HQ needed and Green Coat had been assigned on gathering intelligence from newspapers on the Revolution. His earlier assignment of fixing their equipment falling on deaf ears.

As time progressed the group started to return to normality.

Again, all except for one thing; Green Coat still wouldn't go anywhere near Arno.

And the theory that Arno had somehow been responsible for Frederic's death was in everyone's mind but yet quickly dismissed. Why would, if indeed he had cut Frederic's life short, have done so? For what gain? The Assassins believed Arno had no part to play and had simply discovered the man.

Except the Lock Smith of the group believed otherwise.

Ice Cream had cornered Green Coat on the matter, while lying in bed together, exhausted from another bout of excessive love making, but it lead no where. The man wouldn't be moved.

It was during Ice Cream's meticulous copying of the badly water damaged letter that Frederic had sent them, trying to preserve the man's last words and better understand their meaning on the Lion, that Green Coat's want to continuously fornicate reached it's peak.

The Lock Picker was sitting at his desk in front of a large mirror, in the middle of copying the passage "The Lion has Five Chances of" and all the possible meanings the last sentence of Frederic's letter could have when Green Coat approached him from behind, threw the latest newspaper of Revolutionary talk onto the desk next to the brown ledger and threaded a hand through Ice's hair.

The signal.

"You need to stop using sex as a salve," Ice Cream said pertly, continuing to write, "Or I'm going to start assuming you're out to make me pregnant."

"I'm not using it as a salve," Green Coat said, feeling his desire for the other man rising, the clawing of the void needing to be seen too again, "Or to get you pregnant."

"Really?"

Green Coat jerked his hand back and paused as Ice Cream abruptly stood up and, to make his point, pushed the ledger, newspapers and letter higher up the desk, undid his belt and leaned over the desk, flicking long red hair out of his eyes.

"Mount me."

Green Coat paused at the harsh command.

"No, you're angry."

Ice Cream shrugged.

"Mount me and see."

Green Coat, that rising unbearable need to crush out his numbness, slid his and Ice Cream's trousers off, pushed down on Ice's spine for better entry and pressed his pelvis to Ice's ass. He entered the other's birth canal and apart from a slight grunt as Green entered, Ice Cream kept his face impassive, trying to see this as nothing more than a chore.

It wasn't long before Green Coat thrust with vigor, feeling that void filling and pure pleasure taking hold as he snapped his hips backwards and forwards, holding onto curved hips. After a few minutes he was about to orgasm, feeling a euphoric inducing wave taking hold and banishing his grief, when he opened up his eyes and saw Ice Cream's reflection in the mirror...writing.

"Wha, hnn, what? Are you, hnn, writing?!"

"Because I, ahh, need to," Ice Cream said with an accidental gasp, as he felt that wonderful pleasure that he only got from Green Coat's body commanding his, but forced it to one side. He tossed his long auburn hair again to the side and scribbled another hash on the side of the page, "...I need to finish this memoir."

Green Coat felt his desire start to wither and fade as he looked at Ice's face in the reflection of the mirror behind the desk. Ice Cream wasn't taking part. He was looking down, making a face of slight grimace every time he was shunted forwards.

Green Coat slowed his thrusting.

"You...you're not enjoying this?"

Ice Cream looked up at their joint reflection and cut straight to the chase, "I miss him too, Vincent. But fucking me each, ahh, and every time it gets too, hnn, much for you isn't going to bring Frederic back."

Green Coat looked like he had been winded. All erotic feeling vanishing into the air at the mention of Frederic's name. He was about to pull out, feeling his erection becoming flaccid, when Ice Cream grabbed onto the man's forearm behind him.

"Promise me that this will be the last time," Ice Cream said again to their joint reflection in the mirror, bent over the desk, "For both of us. I need and want to fuck the pain away as much as you do. But let's promise to make this the last time we use our intimacy in such a way."

"Being intimate with you," Green Coat breathed holding his partner, "Reminds me I have not lost everything."

"Do you not think I feel the same way?" Ice Cream pleaded with his eyes, "We don't have to fuck to prove it...help me with rebuilding...let us be a couple who talk, again. Who make love."

Green Coat wrapped his arms around Ice Cream's middle, pressing his face into the Assassin's uniform, feeling the man's stomach was slightly swollen. He had over heard Ice Cream arguing with Arno that he didn't need to go and see a doctor about his gut worm and to stop worrying. He had never seen Ice Cream snap at Arno before. And it was true, Ice needed him. Needed to be strong for each other for as powerful as Ice Cream was to him...the man was suffering too. Green Coat felt himself captivated by those blue eyes and nodded his promise.

"Good. Now, as this is the last time...I want you to fuck me until either you, or I, pass out," Ice Cream said in a whoosh of authoritative breath as he shut the ledger with a thud, shoved it under his own hips, purposely making Green Coat's renewed engorged member sink in further to him at the new angle, "That's an Order, Assassin."

~

Axe returned looking much healthier than before and his left eye less purple. He seemed rejuvenated. His beard and hair weren't as long as when he had left and he seemed lighter on his feet. Arno smiled when Ice said it was because Axe had finally seen his daughter after two years.

They all convened in the main library and brought Axe up to speed on what had happened in his absence. In return, Axe had said that Camille and Germain were safe and well. When it came to the news of her husband's death... Camille had known he was to die. She said because the Lion had told Frederic as such for many months. Every time he held the stone carving to his ear.

" 'Your death is my life', that's what Frederic said the statue told him," Axe said, with a deep sigh, "Camille is still distraught but she knew it were comin'. Poor little Germain. The boy hasn't a clue what's goin' on."

Their farm cottage was to be the last resort to a safe house, Axe continued, for he did not want his sister-in-law and husband involved unless they had no other choice. After the man caught up with them all, Arno asked if he could have a private word in the kitchens after dinner.

The man had nodded.

"I'm glad my mother is safe, also," Francois said with a smile, "Do you think I could visit her soon, Monsieur Axe? At you sister-in-law's place?"

"Oui, you shall, lad," Axe smiled warmly, "Your mother is quite the cook-"

"Ahem!"

"But no one can match your cooking skills, my dear!" Axe said loudly to a figure passing by the doorway.

"Good to see you again, Mrs Breton," Ice Cream smiled sitting on a chair by the door, "The HQ is all the better for your presence."

"Oh loves, I would jump again at the chance to be with you Assassins," the older lady said with a chuckle. She had arrived with Axe and wasted no time in cooking up a meal, even if it was mostly wild rabbit and the remains of Axe's ambushed horse not wanting to go to waist. "Besides, you're all so busy with your duties, someone's got to make sure you eat properly!"

Axe waved as Mrs Breton scuttled away from the door, her wrists jangling with many gold and silver bangles, and continued on her way down the corridor.

"Mrs Breton seems to have obtained many a fine piece of jewellery," Arno mentioned.

"The insurance on her flat was large," Axe said and he held up his glass to the ceiling where their fourth group member was hiding in his room, "Cheers, Green Coat. Oh, and I almost forgot, Francois..."

The blue eyed teen looked over at Axe.

"Your mother told me to pass her love onto you. She can't wait to see ya'."

Francois beamed at the message from his adoptive mother, looking more like Ice Cream every day, Arno chuckled.

"What were the other sounds from the Lion?" Alexina asked sitting on a couch with her wooden crutches next to her, leg up in a splint, "You said the Lion told Frederic of his impending doom?"

"Heartbeats for myself and Green Coat," Ice Cream replied, "And you, Arno?"

"Lacus for me," Arno added then looked at Francois and Alexina.

"Just humming," Francois said, to which Alexina nodded.

Arno, Axe, Francois, Alexina and Ice Cream continued to sit together next to a small fire in the main library. Green Coat was in his room above, tinkering on his golden lock design, having felt more mentally with it since he and Ice had their 'chat' earlier in the day. But he still wasn't ready to talk to Arno.

"So Frederic knew it was coming. Knew he was going to die, why didn't I see that?" Ice Cream said, watching the fire crackle and dance.

"What do you mean?" Arno asked.

Ice Cream brought out a small water damaged letter and read:

"Forgive the sparseness of this letter as Master Connor has told me that our HQ has been compromised, as such you must know the Lion's powers has five chances of..."

"God damn it, Fred," Axe sighed, taking another drink from a wooden bowl, "Always loved his theatrics..."

"Five chances?" Alexina said with confusion.

"He knew?" Francois chimed in from next to her.

Arno drummed his fingers against the arm rest. The vision of the dead Templar in the Salmacis tomb and the mist creature, smaller than the one that came after them in Lyon, merged in his head.

"What if that mist creature can only appear if someone dies? Gives it life?"

"What do you mean, Arno?" Ice Cream asked.

"The transfer of energy..."

All eyes went to the door.

"...of water," Green Coat added, softly closing the door behind him and coming to sit next to the empty space by his partner, "How else did that thing get so big this time? It sucked the life out of everyone in the entrance hall."

"Holy shit, that would explain the skeleton of the Templar," Ice Cream breathed.

"And why that crypt creature were smaller in appearance...," Axe added, deep in thought, coming to the same conclusion.

"It was small because it had only one lonely Templar to suck the life out of, right?" Ice Cream said.

"Not if Frederic had killed him. Remember we found his chisel next to the body?" Axe said before he coughed and smiled tightly, "Sorry for keeping that from ya' lot. I'd had me suspicions that Frederic had been in there and didn't want to believe it."

"What if," Arno said before he tried to figure out how to best word the insinuation, "What if Frederic killed the Templar to make, or feed, the mist?"

Arno felt the pure hatred seep his way from Green Coat's eyes.

"The Templar had only been killed a month or so before we found him, right?" Arno continued as he looked for confirmation from the other men, trying to fend off any tension in the room, "But he looked like he had been dead for years."

"And the fact the monster killed everyone down stairs...maybe that was how it was able to travel across the country to Lyon?" Francois suggested. "When we were hiding in the tavern."

"Human sacrifice," Alexina swallowed.

"Like out of some bad penny dreadful," Ice Cream said, feeling Green Coat squeeze his hand. "And that would go some way to explain the Salmacis story connection...of one being transferring into another..."

"And of a pool, or water element, that could do such a thing...," Alexina said, eyes lighting up. "Lacus!"

"Everything the lion is saying it coming true," Francois said with wide eyes, "Lacus meant water, right? Then it said to Frederic that 'your death is my life', which explains how fast that thing grew...what else has it said?"

"Again, heartbeats," Ice Cream said, shaking his head in confusion, "...both myself and Green Coat heard them. It's anyone's guess what that means..."

"It is your own heart beats you can here?" Francois asked.

"I assume so," Green Coat mumbled, "Sounded a bit too fast to mine, though."

"What do you mean?" Alexina asked.

"Same for me. It was..." Ice Cream said, thinking and looking to his lover next to him, "Was more like a heartbeat rhythm after you've run a mile."

"Axe?" Arno asked to their now quiet member of the group.

The larger man drummed his fingers on the table, sucking on his bottom teeth, eyes glazed over.

"Axe?" Arno asked again when the vacant faced man didn't respond.

"Hmm?"

"You said it said nothing to you?"

"Sod me, it did," Axe said with a growl of a sigh and a defeated grimace, "Didn't want to say at the time..."

"But?"

"...it muttered something like..."

"Like?"

"Can't believe I'm about to say this but...I swear it sounded like the word 'Masyaf'," Axe said shaking his head at himself.

"Masyaf?!" Ice Cream and Green Coat almost shouted together with horror.

"What's that?" Francois asked looking around the room at the other men.

"It's the Assassins' original HQ in Syria," Green Coat muttered with a dark look not taking his eyes off of the large Assassin.

"But...why Masyaf?" Alexina asked, "...why would it say that?"

"Like I said," Axe added, "I ain't sure. The soddin' kitty only said it the once. If it was even the right word-"

"'Lacus'. 'Your death is my life'," Arno said to himself, "...Heartbeats...and now Masyaf..."

"And humming...," Francois added with a nod from Alexina.

"Could any of those words hold double meanings?" Ice Cream said, unconsciously tracing the outlines of the branding on his palms, "Like mine did in the tomb?"

"I think it's time to come _very_ clean with us, leader," Arno said leaning back in his chair with self entitled authority. He fixed the older man with a stone cold glare. "Green Coat just said that Masyaf is in Syria. There is a brother, is there not, there. We had correspondence from him when Ice Cream sent out feelers. Dunno who he is though...and now the Lion has been saying 'Masyaf' to you all along?"

"What's your point, boy?"

"Stop hiding things from us."

There was an incredible tense silence as Axe continued to drum his fingers on the table, staring at Arno. He breathed out a long breath and closed his eyes. "I sent a brother to Masyaf a year ago to gather intelligence," Axe said, seeming to force the words out, "Right after I heard what the Lion was spouting at me."

"And what happened?" Ice Cream pressed.

"Naught, truth be told," Axe sniffed, "Figured he would find summit, or other. Frederic thought it were a good idea to send him."

"Send who?" Arno asked. Perhaps it was an Assassin that was at the initial meeting with Frederic from last year?

"The brother asked why I were sending him there," Axe said ignoring the boy's question, "...sod thought it was a punishment, but I told him it was to tell us if the Assassins of Old had some things still hidden in them ruins. I didn't connect the dots until you lad said the word Lacus. What with all this water talk and the kitty doing it's hocus pocus with it-"

"A lake," Green Coat said staring at Axe. "Lacus can be used as a word for a lake."

"Aye," Axe said staring right back. "And blow me if there ain't a lake at Masyaf-"

"Don't say you think the Fountain of Salmacis is in Masyaf," Arno said, "It would be too easy."

"Again, that's what I thought. So we lot followed the other trail. To Lyon. And our other brother stayed in Syria."

"How long was he there for?" Ice Cream asked.

"He's still there."

"Who is this brother?" Arno asked a second time.

"Then we need to go!" Francois said loudly, "Meet him and see if anything odd is happening there-"

"Wait a moment," Arno said, "We have the Lion _and_ the two diamonds. We have the Piece of Eden. What could we possibly need from that place?"

"Another reason why we didn't go," Axe said, "All that mattered was the kitty and it's jewels. But regardless if we like it or not, Masyaf is connected to this all in some blasted way."

"Does he know about the Lion and it's powers?" Ice Cream asked, "This brother in Syria? What we've been up too and seen?"

"Aye, bits and bobs of what I feed him. But he sent a message to me while I was away. He says there wasn't anything in the ruins of value, save for pigeon shit...until he, um..."

There was silence.

"...Oui?" Arno asked, leaning forwards in his chair, "He what?"

Axe coughed.

"He found multiple lion carvings identical to ours in a chamber under the main castle, standing on pretty plinths. And one plinth was missing it's owner."

"What?!" Alexina and Francois screeched in union.

"There's more of these fucking things?!" Green Coat also shouted.

"Makes sense, for there are multiple Pieces of Eden, after all," Ice Cream mumbled, trying to take it all in, rubbing his stomach.

"Who is this Brother?" Arno asked with a frown for a third time.

"You'll see. I've decided that we are to rendezvous with 'im at the site. It's gonna take us two months flat out traveling to get to Syria from 'ere so start packing. There is nothing for us here," Axe said waving his hand to the room. "Alexina, you're going to live with my sister-in-law until you get better. Francois, lad, I know you wanna join us but you're going to take Alex there and stay there till you receive further orders. Understand?"

"Understood, Monsieur," Francois answered with an polite undercurrent of disappointment at not joining in the adventure further.

"What about this place?" Arno asked, feeling like a heck of a lot questions had been answered which only presented more questions, "We've just renovated it."

"Mrs Breton has a new palace to rule," Axe said with a smile, taking a final swig of alcohol.

 ~

Arno waited by the door to the kitchen until he saw Axe appear. It had been two hours since their revealing chat in the library and now it was time for him to return the favor. He nodded into the room and the large man entered, shutting the large oak door behind them.

"So...," Axe said, hands on hips, scratching his beard, "You called me for a powwow? Make it quick lad, I got a lot of packing to do."

Arno cut to the chase.

"Consus has jumped ship."

"You what?" Axe said with a raised brown eyebrow, still scratching.

"Consus," Arno repeated, hoping that no one was pressing their ears to the door, "Back in Lyon, when Ice was delirious? His eyes glowed yellow. Consus is inside _him_ now, not Green Coat."

Axe finished scratching, crossed his arms and stared at him.

Arno continued.

"I'm not lying, Axe, I spoke to the being. Yet I am unaware if Ice Cream knows this-"

"Consus can't jump," Axe said, with a scoff of a laugh, "...it's the blood, lad. That's how he gets into someone."

"You said his father once harbored Consus, am I correct?"

"Aye?"

"Then when did Consus make himself known in Green Coat?"

"When he hit his teens-"

"So how can two people at once hear him?"

"Consus sorta..copies...himself," Axe grunted scratching at an elbow, "from what I've been told. Makes a new copy and sends that one down the family line. The parent who had him then has echos of Consus but over time it fades. On occasion the expectant mother can 'ear Consus, but it's rare-"

"How ever it happened," Arno cut in, "Consus is in Ice Cream and we need to know what to do if he decides to reveal himself again-"

"Don't be daft-"

"He hijacked the man's voice."

  "That's impossible," Axe said firmly, "now, go and get some sleep. I'm counting on you to keep me sane on the way to Syria while traveling with the love birds."

Arno watched Axe turn around and start to leave.

"He spoke of a being called Juno," Arno shouted after the man, which made the heavy set leader stop dead in his tracks, "He said, that Salmacis was free and was looking for her teacher, Juno. Who is that?"

Axe looked over his shoulder with a toxic stare.

"How do you know about Juno?"

"Because Consus told me," Arno said, standing his ground.

The two men eyeballed each other.

"Why would I lie, Axe!?" Arno shouted, "You saw, as well as I, the state Green was in when that mist monster had appeared at the tavern door. What if Consus, while in Green Coat, saw that the mist was after him and needed to escape. Wouldn't that explain why Ice Cream was in pain not hours after Green Coat was? I don't think getting clobbered over the head in an ambush can suddenly make Consus speak through you."

A thought seem to cross Axe's face.

"When was the last time Consus spoke through Green?"

"At the tavern, at the tomb and three months ago while they were...," Arno stopped himself short as he didn't want to say 'fucking' as the mere mental image brought bile to his throat. So instead he went for a softer option, "...making love."

"Making love?"

"Yes. Ice said that Green had felt hot white lightning down his neck at the time, or something to that effect."

Suddenly the Axe Assassin eyes unfocused as they darted around the room.

"Three months ago, you say, lad?"

"Yes."

There was a very long pause as Axe's dark eyes continued to flicker around the room, the cogs in his head working and calculating until a look of deep horror crossed his face. "Green Coat's in town, so distract Ice," Axe said pointing a finger at Arno, before he wrenched the door open with so much force Arno could have sworn the Assassin had snapped the hinges off, "Keep 'im in the library. I don't care if I have to go to soddin' Timbuktu, Ice's seeing a doctor. Now."

~

"That Fountain of Salmacis book again?" Arno smiled from across the library as he entered and shut the door behind him.

"There has to be something in here that can help us."

"Fair enough," Arno said as he sat down on a half torn chair with a 'oof', opposite to a stitting Ice Cream. The two men were both in their full Assassin outfits, sitting back in their chairs with the taller reading that Latin inscribed book, "But shouldn't we be packing, Ice?"

"Green Coat is getting our last supplies. You?"

"Already done. Don't have much anymore that hasn't fallen over a waterfall or been battered some way."

"You still have your diary?"

Arno whipped said stationary from out his chest pocket with a grin, twisting it in the light from the large window across from them.

"Looks like we both put a lot of value in books," Ice Cream said putting the small velvet book into his own bag.

"When did you get that book?" Arno asked.

"The Fountain of Salmacis?"

"Yeah," the Ex-Templar said.

"I've had it all my life. It was a present from...someone dear to me. Why?" Ice Cream said with a playful wink, bring it out of his bag again, "Want to try out quoting me again on another book?"

Arno laughed at the reference to their first meeting. "I'd have to learn Latin first," the Ex-Templar said, looking quickly to the door and hoping Ice Cream hadn't seen him lock it when he entered.

Ice Cream tapped the book against his fingers, seemed to consider something before he smiled, "Would you like to look through it? Now that there is no pressure of either myself or Axe drowning."

"Why not," Arno said and lent forward taking the offered book. He paged through a few sheets, seeing etchings and the like. He reached the page he was thinking of and turned it to the side, seeing the Lion's face staring down at a set of eyes. He flipped passed a few more pages, eyeing the time on the clock, wishing Axe would hurry the hell up before he was rumbled-

"May I ask why you've locked us in here?"

"I've not locked it," Arno lied with a smile.

Ice Cream raised an eyebrow.

"You're lying to a Lock Picker," Ice Cream smiled again with glee, "Try again. I am curious though, do I have a surprise Birthday Party that I am not to know about?"

"It's your Birthday?"

"Oui," the man nodded nonchalantly.

"Oh...well, hush don't say it too loudly or," Arno began, not sure where he was going with this small talk and forming lie when he was saved by the lock clicking open and Axe entering into the room.

"Hello, Axe," Arno said and figured he might as well go the full hog, "We've been rumbled. Ice knows we're planning a surprise party for him."

"Oh?" Axe said slowly stepping away from the door, "Then I have an early birthday present. This way, Monsieur!"

Ice Cream frowned with a smile at Axe motioning the hidden figure behind the door way to enter the library. Axe stood to the side and Alexina's doctor, small spectacles on his old yet cheery round face, appeared at the door.

"Good day, Gentlemen," the elder doctor said with a kind smile.

Ice Cream bolted out of his seat.

Axe, seemingly anticipating this, lashed out and grabbed the man by his upper arm.

Arno jerked back in his seat. He had never seen such a panicked response from the Assassin. Arno stood up and stepped back, unsure on how to proceed as Ice Cream fought to get away but ended up having his arms twisted behind his back and forced onto the floor. The ginger was shouting now into the carpet, thrashing under the larger man, who held him down, pleading to be let go.

"Stop, stop it lad, stop it!" Axe said still holding the man by the arms, a knee on his back, waiting for the Assassin to calm down. “Calm yourself, man. This way we will know and I'll quit badgering ya'.”

Axe nodded for Arno to come over to him.

Arno stared at Axe restraining Ice upon the red Turkish carpet. He saw Ice Cream try a couple more jerks of his body, trying to throw Axe off.

“You are not to let Green Coat in here under any circumstances," the huge Assassin ordered, "Understand?”

"What does this have to do with Consus jumping ship?" Arno asked Axe, seeing the fear in Ice Cream's eyes change to horror as his startled and confused blue gaze snapped to Arno at the mention of Consus.

Axe looked down at Ice Cream for a moment, before back to Arno, something behind his eyes flickering.

"Everything."

~

“What is he doing to him in there?,” Green Coat growled, hackles raised, walking backwards and forwards aggressively in front of the white paneled door to the library. Arno could see his fingers going to and from from his empty gun holsters, not sure if the agitated Assassin was aware they held no weapons.

"Checking for gut worm and concussion," Arno said flatly, standing in front of the door, "Remember?"

Green Coat grunted with something that might have been an acceptance of some form.

Arno had left the room on Axe's orders a while ago and patrolled the hallway for signs of Green Coat appearing. When he did show, Green Coat took one look at Arno and promptly left, calling out Ice Cream's name downstairs. When the moody young Assassin had realized that Ice Cream was probably behind the library door Arno was guarding, Arno had cut through the bull shit of Green's avoidance to him and outright told him to keep out of the room for Ice Cream was with Axe and a doctor about his head and suspected gut worm infection. Axe's voice even shouted from behind the door to aid Arno that this was the case, and this seem to do the trick. But Green Coat was becoming more and more agitated the further the clock ticked. They could both hear talking and when there was a sudden cry from Ice Cream, Arno knew he had lost power over his peer.

Green stopped his pacing, swore and made to move towards the door but Arno side stepped into his path. Green Coat, having the first physical and verbal communication with Arno since Frederic died, shoved the young Assassin away harshly. Arno pushed him back with a bark of 'stand down!' but it didn't make any difference. The Lock Smith grit his teeth and went to continue the fight until the door finally opened behind Arno and they heard voices...

“I'm afraid there is nothing I can do," the tired voice of the doctor said, "He's too far gone. My advice is to let nature take it's course...”

The two Assassins heard Axe sigh heavily with a pained "Jesus Christ Almighty....”

"I'll see myself out."

"Thank you, doctor.”

Arno caught a glimpse of Axe inside the library, who had his hands on his hips, head low, and a _very_ pained expression on his face. As the door opened further he caught a glimpse of Ice Cream, who was curled up into a ball on his side, still on that red carpet, back to Arno.

The Ex-Templar watched as the doctor picked up his tool bag and left them, bidding the Assassins a good day. There was a pause as the doctor fully excited the building and Green Coat moved to be in the library door way with Arno. But as soon as he did the elder axe carrying Assassin, murder in his eyes, looked up and made for them.

**"YOU!"**

Arno put his hands up in self-defense.

Shit, he should have told Axe sooner about Consus! But Arno was too startled to move as Axe passed him and instead grabbed a very shocked Green Coat with such force, he nearly bowled the man over. Arno saw the broader man yank the twenty-two year old in a vice around the scruff of his coat and white neck scarf and drag the Assassin down the hall way and into a deserted room. Once that door was slammed shut, there was silence.

Arno stood on the spot, unsure what to do. He looked over at Ice Cream still curled up.

"What the hell is going on-?"

An impossibly loud smash of glass exploded from the closed room down the hallway. Arno, still shocked by the sudden violent grab of Axe towards Green Coat, regained his senses. He looked at the room where Ice Cream was lying alone and at the room that sound had come from. Another smash rang out into the air and he ran to the slammed door. Arno tried to turn, pull and push the nob, but it was locked. He didn't have to press his ear against the door to hear what was going on inside as sounds of smashing glass and furniture erupted into the air.

**“CURSE YOU, GREEN COAT!"**

A loud smash followed.

**"MAY GOD DAMN YOUR SOUL!”**

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND, AXE-?!" He heard Green shouting in reply from behind the door.

**_“_ I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED YOU BOTH-”**

“AXE-!”

Another loud smash of glass.

**“NOT ONLY HAVE YA PUT 'IM OUT OF ACTION-"**

The sound of something heavy and wooden being upturned made the door shake.

**"BUT YA'VE PUT HIM IN DANGER, YA SELFISH BASTARD!"**

_WHAM!_

Arno jerked back as something heavy hit the door making it rattle on it's hinges.

“WAIT W-WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'VE PUT HIM IN DAN-”

A window breaking loudly was next.

Arno, quickly realizing the fight was escalating, engaged a hidden blade, slotting it into the key hole. He twisted it a few times but stopped then he felt a soft hand on his shoulder, making him jump, looking up behind him. It was Ice Cream. He looked pale with his eyes red and swollen.

Arno blinked.

The Assassin had been crying.

“Come...,” the Lock Picker said gently and guided the younger Assassin away from the door just as another loud smash erupted from the room, Green's voice shouting along with Axe's.

“What abo-?” Arno began to protest.

The door in front of them rattled again with the force of something heavy impacting it from behind.

“They will be fine,” came the soft reply.

The copper haired Assassin guided the boy back into the library and closed the door softly with a small click.

“What's going on?" Arno asked, standing in the middle of the empty library, "Why the hell is Axe beating the day lights out of Green Coat?”

Ice Cream opened his mouth, thought better of it and then closed it as Axe's voice continued to curse Green Coat to hell and back.

“Ice Cream?”

The way that the other Assassin was looking so meek only served to piss the younger one off.

“This has to do with Consus inside you now," Arno chanced, with an angry frown, "Right?”

Ice Cream suddenly looked up horrified.

“Consus?”

"You were not in your right mind at the tavern," Arno explained, "I saw your eyes go golden and Consus spoke throu-"

“Arno...I...," Ice Cream interrupted, eyes blinking tears, "...I thought it was a dream at the time, but yes...I know Consus is now within me."

"And that's why Axe is in the next room smashing Green's head in?"

"It's...," Ice Cream said looking around the room for help, "...it's not just Consus being in me that's making him...”

“Then what is?” Arno blinked. Surely that was the reason for Axe's temper. With Consus now in Ice Cream, it messed things up...didn't it? Wait, _how_ could Consus be inside Ice Cream? Didn't Axe say he travels down the family line? But Ice Cream was a man, how could that be?

Ice Cream suddenly wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Ice Cream?" Arno tried, still with a frown.

“...We all have secrets, Arno,” Ice Cream said quietly, wiping the corner of an eye with the back of his hand, and then with a shrug, “Mine is that...I am me.”

Arno stared incredulous. The sounds of Axe throwing furniture at Green Coat still echoing in the building.

"What's happening?!"

Both men look round to see a shocked Francois standing in the doorway.

"It's nothing, Francois," Ice Cream said as they all heard Green Coat's muffled voice shouting that Axe had gone mad, "...please go back to Alexina-"

"What in blazes is all that shouting?"

"Mrs Breton, please," Ice Cream pleaded, putting his palms together in prayer as the old lady appeared next to his biological son, "and you Francois, I beg you both please go back to the kitchens until this is over."

The boy and woman looked at each other skeptically as the shouting down the hall way continued.

"He won't kill him," the Lock Picker said, "I promise you."

"Well... if you say so, my dear," Mrs Breton said unconvinced, "Come boy, let's leave these Assassins' to their arguments. Maybe they could keep it down next time..."

Francois gave Ice Cream and Arno a joint look of confusion and then disappeared with Mrs Breton, closing the door.

Ice Cream let out a sigh of "Oh Gods" that could be confused with a sob as he put a hand over his mouth and walked over to the window, eyes now fully streaming with silent tears.

Arno stared after the man. What the fuck was going on? He had been with the group for more than a year now, and was positive that he knew the other men. Sure, Green Coat was a pain in the ass, but that was just how the man was. He felt he could trust Ice Cream and Axe and he was genuinely sorry that Frederic had died along side all the other Assassins. But now with all this smoke and daggers going on, and Ice Cream pulling this cryptic shit, he wasn't sure any more of how correct his perception of the gang of men he had sighed up with were. The uncertainty made him wonder if he had gotten the Assassins all wrong. Angry and fed up, he walked over to Ice to demand once and for all to know what the hell was wrong. But before Arno's temper could get the better of him to retort, the door to the library slammed opened with a bang and Axe stormed in dragging Green Coat by the upper arm. The black haired man's left eye was black and puffed up with a blood trail from his nose that was quite clearly broken.

"Now get outta my sight, ya little shit," Axe growled and shoved the twenty-two year old in the direction of Ice. The young Assassin fell in a heap to the floor, groaning and coughing.

Ice Cream stared, dumb founded for a moment, before rushing over to his partner. “You broke his nose?!-” he threw at Axe, as he tried to gently pry Green's fingers away from his face, as the Lock Smith moaned in pain on the wooden floor in the fetal position.

“A small price to pay,” the bearded Assassin said angrily as he threw down his bracers onto the table, walked over to a bag and pulled out a large bottle of alcohol.

Arno stood rooted to the spot as he watched Ice Cream usher Green Coat to standing and then into an adjoining drawing room, taking a spare table napkin cloth to help stem the blood flow. He stepped back a few steps to see into the room and could just make out Ice Cream gently pushing the other down to sit on a wooden chair. Arno left spying on the couple and walked over to Axe, coming to stand in front of him.

“What the hell is going on?” The Ex-Templar demanded.

“Bloody fools...,” Axe muttered, sharply pulling the cork from the bottle and downing the liquid, not hearing Arno's question.

Arno remained silent, wrinkling his nose at the incredibly strong smelling whisky, still reeling from what Ice Cream's cryptic "I am me" bullshit he had said to him prior.

“For three months that ginger bastard kept it secret,” Axe swallowed loudly and growled incredulous, holding up his fingers to emphasize _,“THREE!”_

Arno remained silent. Had Consus been in Ice Cream for that long?

"All the time we were in the tomb," Axe continued, pouring some now onto his hand, "...hell I bet even when you were collecting Francois, he kept it from ya'. Bad bread, my arse."

Arno bit his lip, anger welling up.

“The stupid git didn't remember anything of Consus speaking through him, either. Thought it were a nightmare. And you know what this means, don't you? Not only will he not be able to fight come Blue Hat strolling in, I'm one man down now, and I have no choice now but to ship 'im off to me sister-in-law with Francois and Alex till he drops.”

Arno felt his nostrils flare.

“Last thing we need," Axe said, downing the rest of the bottle in one impressive gulp, “Especially now in a fuckin' War.”

The bearded man made a face, before tossing the empty bottle to the side.

Arno would have taken a step back at the shower of glass, but he was too pissed off in confusion to care.

“And do you know what the most hilarious part is? “ Axe continued not realizing the look Arno had sported as he picked up a piece of bread, tearing it in half with so much force Arno would have felt sorry for it, “Green had no feckin' clue Consus had jumped.”

Arno stared at Axe as he scoffed, tearing a piece of bread and popping it into his mouth.

“Little wonder Consus legged it. What a fuckin' golden opportunity they both gave him. Well, at least Ice's head got mended, silver lining an' all that.”

At this, Arno's patience finally ran out.

“Axe. I have literally no idea what you are talking about. I haven't for a _very_ long time. So, humor me, if you would. What is going on? Why is Consus in Ice Cream? You said he travels down the family line. Is that why you punched the hell out of Green Coat?" he said pointing to the door behind them.

Axe looked at Arno, mid chew. He studied the boy's face and realized that he genuinely had no idea what was happening.

“He didn't tell you?”

 **“WHO DIDN'T TELL ME WHAT?!"** Arno exploded, feeling an eye twitch. He ignored how the door, to where Green Coat and Ice Cream were, slowly closed. “Since I joined the Assassins you've all been acting like mad men. Nothing is making sense, _you_ especially. I might as well give up and go back to that God forsaken tavern you found me in and not repeatedly risk my life, might I add, with a soul sucking mist monster the Templars and Assassins want as a fucking pet."

Silence.

“...well, my boy," the older man said calmly and slowly with a nod, wrapping a piece of cloth around his hurt hand, "I think it's best this comes from that lying horse's mouth.”

Arno nodded, wondering how many of the marks on Axe's face were from Green Coat or from pieces of furniture or glass that had ricocheted off the walls.

“Meet Ice Cream in the drawing room at 5pm," the bearded Assassin said, "I'll make sure the bastards there."

~

 Green Coat felt the blood pouring down his face as he staggered, swearing, into the far section of the library. Feeling dizzy he accidentally fell into a shelf, sending books tumbling to the floor as he tried to gain coordination on shaking legs, dully aware Ice Cream gently pulling him to sit on a chair.

"Hold your head back," the ginger said as Green Coat fell back onto the seat with a creak and heard his lover gather a cloth off to the side. The boy did as he was told and tilted his head back as Ice Cream checked him over.

Green Coat's mind was swimming in pain and confusion.

At first he had no idea what Axe was yelling about. He had narrowly missed a candle stick striking his body from where Axe had thrown it across the room before the brute moved onto large home furnishings. His left arm hurt where a table had later collided with it. He had tried to hold back turning against the larger man, darting out of the way of his anger, being more preoccupied with not getting furniture near his body when a marble statue had smacked him across the face before colliding with the wooden floor, the statue's nose smashed clean off. His own nose had blossomed into pain and in retaliation he had thrown a couple of books and a chair at his former guardian until the word "baby" and "Ice Cream' filtered into his mind.

It wasn't until he was pummeled enough and crawling on the floor, deaf in his left ear, had he felt Axe drag him up by the collar and into the room where Arno was and still the words were ringing in his head. But it couldn't be true. Ice Cream, although possessing a birth canal, couldn't become pregnant again. The stable incident had solidified that. But if it was so, then why now? They had made love for over a year and three months ago it happened? Where were they? What was different? A vision of a garden appeared in his mind's eye before it vanished. Again the words "Ice Cream" and " pregnant" didn't jell together and Green Coat began to wonder if it was a lie. Then the word 'Consus' had entered into the fray and there was only one way Consus could be inside another person. He looked up through painful eyes, one felt hot and the other was slightly blurry, a cloth's edge pressed too close. 

"Is it true?" Green Coat mumbled, feeling a couple of his teeth had been loosened and expecting his partner to laugh.

"Axe didn't break your nose for nothing...," Ice Cream said sadly and softly, more so to himself than to the man sitting in front of him.

"But you...you can't...?"

"..."

"Is it true Consus spoke through you?"

"..."

"Ice..."

"..."

"Iris-"

"There," Ice Cream said pushing something across the bridge of his sore nose, "...that should hold for now, try not to get the plaster wet after it sets-"

Green Coat's free hand lashed out and grabbed the Lock Picker's forearm softly and desperately.

"Are you carrying our...?"

Ice Cream paused before he slowly pulled his arm away.

Green Coat cursed that he couldn't properly see and made a guess as to where his partner was. “I'll protect you," he offered, an ear still ringing, "I promise.”

But Ice Cream had already left the room.

 ~

The clock chimed. It was 5pm. Arno skipped his rationed meal, his stomach not thanking him for a third day of being neglected, and made his way to the drawing room, feeling nervous but determined. Finally he was to find out just what the shit was going on with Ice Cream. He opened the white paneled door out and saw the very man standing at the far end, looking out of a large set of windows. The ginger's demeanor full of melancholy, for a split second, before he spun and a phantom blade was aimed directly at Arno's head.

Arno put his hands up slightly. Damn he should have knocked.

“Oh...hello, Arno,” Ice Cream said, realization dawning, snapping the mechanism together with a flick of a wrist as it retracted back up his arm.

"Axe said I would find you here," Arno began, his stomach squirming for sustenance. "So, let's not beat around the bush. What was that in the library, earlier? With Axe wrestling you onto the floor?"

"...an altercation," Ice Cream said, his dry eyes vividly blood shot from previous crying. Arno frowned further, noticing the man was seemingly to be choosing his words carefully, “Come here, Arno, I want to show you something."

Arno shut the door and quietly made his way over.

Ice Cream, still standing by the handsome and very empty bookcase, took a glace at the twenty-two year old carefully and offered him a book, which Arno accepted, confusion still evident on the youngsters face.

“Read,” the Lock Pick Assassin said, turning his back to Arno and looking out of the window.

Arno raised a brown eyebrow up and looked down. "The Fountain of Salmacis?" he read out loud, looking over to the other man, who turned around to face him again and inclined his wavy hair of head at the book in confirmation.

“It's in Latin, Ice, you know I can't read it-"

“Open it,” Ice Cream said.

Arno paused for a moment before letting out a long breath, doing as he was told.

“Top of page nine...," Ice Cream indicated, "...please read it to me...”

Arno frowned deeper. There were small pieces of yellowed paper glued to the inside of the pages.

"It's in our language now?"

"Green Coat translated it a while back. I stuck them in there so you can...understand. Now, please, read."

Arno made a face of humoring and started to read the almost chicken scratch of Green Coat's handwriting.

“It was near Halicarnassus that he encountered the nymph Salmacis in her pool...”

Ice Cream coughed with a wince, a hand going to the side of his stomach, making Arno glance up.

“Continue.”

Arno returned to the book.

“...She was overcome by lust for the man, and tried to seduce him, but was rejec-What is this, Ice?” Arno said, nearly closing the book. “I already know the story. I want you to tell me what that cryptic shit was back there with 'I am me'. Why Axe had to pin you to the ground."

“Read it...,"  Ice Cream asked with wide eyes, "... _please_. ”

Arno paused. Ice Cream was deadly serious. He continued, ignoring the gnawing feeling of intense hunger pawing again at his insides. He seriously should have eaten yesterday and today... Arno starting to walk slowly around the room, velvet book in hand. “When he thought her to be gone, Hermaphroditus undressed and entered the waters of the empty pool. Salmacis sprang out from behind a tree and jumped into the pool. She wrapped herself around the boy and while he struggled, she called out to the gods that they should never part. Her wish was granted, and their bodies blended into one form, a creature of both sexes."

Arno looked up at Ice Cream who was now fully facing him, arms behind his back, watching him carefully and scanning his face.

“...continue...” Ice Cream said, his blue eyes flicking between Arno's dark ones.

“She prayed that anyone else who bathed in the pool would be similarly transformed," Arno continued, seeing a vision of the water crypt from a month ago, "and her wish was granted. Their flesh and bones were merged-".

“Nineteen years ago, I almost died giving birth to Francois."

Arno looked up surprised at the venomous tone coming from Ice Cream, who was still facing him with both arms professionally stationed behind his back, "When I was born I was neither one nor the other, rather both."

Arno stared, frozen to the spot, as the realization began to hit him.

“Until I found the Assassin's, I had," Ice Cream began, "...well, how was society to address me when there was no one I knew like me?"

Arno continued to stare, ignoring his stomach hurting from lack of food.

Ice Cream looked down and began to pace around the room. “I had a happy childhood,” he continued, flipping a golden lid off a pot, absentmindedly looking inside, thinking better of it and putting it back. "But it wasn't until I became a teenager that I fell into Cour Des Miracles and then into the arms of Henri. Who I, unaware at the time, was an Assassin. I have lived as both male and female. As you see me now... is my identity."

Arno continued to stare.

“I know this may come as quite the shock, Arno. And I know you have questions. Normally I would not choose to let others know. But I can no longer deny you not knowing given...given the circumstances."

Arno chose his next wording very carefully as he quietly shut the book.

"Of why Consus resides in you now?"

"...That too."

"...that too?" Arno frowned.

“But let me make one thing clear,” Ice Cream said, coming up to stand in front of Arno, ignoring the question. Arno looked up and was surprised at just how tall Ice Cream was in comparison to himself.

The Assassin locked bright sapphire eyes onto him.

“I am just as capable as any man in this Brotherhood.”

Arno paused, trying to find the words to best explain his thoughts but drew a blank. It all made sense now. The feeling he had about Ice Cream not being all he appeared was suddenly lifted. But another chain of thought came to him. _This_ was why Green Coat was ridiculously over protective of Ice Cream. He didn't trust a new comer. Or any new comer. Didn't know what his reaction would be to Ice Cream being a... Especially so being the student of their enemy. Arno scoffed mentally, he wasn't a judgmental arse hole. So what if Ice Cream was a bit different? Ice Cream was human. How did he not cotton on faster? But then his gut sunk as he remembered Ice being ill every few months. The moss. Was that for... menstrual bleeding? Arno's mouth went dry as more and more pieces fell into place. Had Green Coat been so hostile towards him to draw attention away? Preferred over him finding out Ice Cream's secret and shunning him? Was Green Coat, all this time, trying to keep the attention towards himself than Ice Cream? He was trying to protect him, yes. Oh Gods, was that why Frank had caused so much harm to Ice Cream?

Arno swallowed, “...Axe knows you're...?”

Ice Cream nodded very slowly.

"So when you said you were barren? Back in the coach and...you saying you had your honor taken?"

"The event at the stables, initiated by your ex-mentor, robbed me of any physical evidence of a manhood I once possessed."

"And the...moss you've been collecting?" Arno added, noticing Ice Cream didn't answer both questions.

The taller Assassin shrugged ever so slightly, not taking his eyes off of Arno, “I share in common with women a monthly cycle. Tis mostly erratic at best."

Arno was suddenly very aware of the fact Ice Cream had brought his arms out from behind his back, the phantom blade shining in the light. He looked back into those blue eyes. And...saw fear? It was then Arno knew his answer, feeling that Fountain of Salmacis book heavy in his palm.

“I do not think less of you,“ Arno said, finding his voice, seeing how Ice Cream paused at this response. “Who opened the gate to the Bastille? Who opened the gate and cleared the way for us? Who in this team has kept us all together like glue? Who has the most patience? And who, out of all four of us, can I trust will not tell me to piss off at any given moment?" Arno stepped up to the ginger, handing the man back the book with the need to prove that he was of no threat to Ice Cream. “I don't think it matters what's between your legs to do any of that.”

Ice Cream watched Arno's expression for a long time, trying to see if there was any hint of a lie in there. Suddenly warmth flooded his chest as he realized Arno was indeed telling the truth. A small smile blossomed on Ice Cream's face as he gently took the book back. “I'm glad, Arno,” he said relaxing tense muscles. “I just wish others were as welcoming and understanding as you are."

"...so...," Arno said slowly, realizing that Henri's words of being Ice's husband now made more sense, "...Henri was your husband?"

"Was, yes."

"And...Francois really _is_ your son?"

Ice Cream nodded, still not taking his eyes off him.

"Said you gave birth to him?"

"With great difficulty," Ice Cream smiled sadly. "Not many like me are able too. I've been fortunate, or unfortunate as one may see it, enough to be given more female attributes internally than male. And I know what you're thinking...and I take partial blame for not protecting myself better. But this time may be my last chance of a family."

Arno nodded automatically before he frowned at the Assassin, realizing that he hadn't the fainted understanding of what the man had just said.

"...wait, _this_ time?"

Ice Cream breathed in a long breath and then smiled a knowing smile, waiting for the penny to drop but Arno looked utterly confused. That was until he remembered Axe saying Consus traveled down a family line and that the mother-to-be sometimes could hear Consus. Arno felt that lack of food jolt in his stomach join a wave of dizziness as they both seized their chance and plunged him into unexpected darkness.

~

He wasn't sure how long he had been out for, but Arno came too with a start on a plush and revoltingly orange couch with smelling salts wafting under his nose. He jerked away from the biting scent, hitting the back of his head on the wooden sofa frame, only to be greeted by Axe hovering above with his bearded face upside down.

“Ah, you're awake. Good, thought we lost you, then. We've got enough on our plate withou' another one of us gettin' sick, ” he said sitting back in his chair, replacing the lid. "Ya' scared the shit out of Ice, ya' know."

Arno's mind worked over time. Had he just...did Ice Cream... Arno's mind was racing, getting all jumbled up until he blurted the first thing that came to him.

“Ice Cream's a woman.”

“No, he's a Hermaphrodite,” Axe corrected politely, replacing the smelling salt into his breast pocket on his waist coat, “Although I prefer the term 'Intersex', myself.”

Arno blinked, multiple times. His head was beginning to throb at this new revelation as his stomach growled loudly.

“When was the last time you ate?” Axe asked from across the room, taking his axe from off his back and picking up a cracked porcelain plate.

“I don't remember,” Arno said, slowly sitting up. He automatically took the empty plate Axe handed him, his mind furiously trying to recap all the times he could have spotted signs that Ice Cream was intersex. Arno struggled not to simply wolf down the meal as the rationed slop and bread hit the plate and his nose, but chewed deliberately, his mind working over-time. He stared at Axe.

“He said you knew?”

“Of course”, the large man said opening up his hands, "Me and Frederic were huntin' the where abouts of Henri years ago and found Ice collapsed in an alleyway.  Thank the heavens I already knew the basics from mares on me farm gettin' into trouble. That was when I helped his son into the world."

"Francois?"

"Oh? Good, ya' know then. And don't worry about puttin' ya foot into it, the boy knows all this."

Arno blinked. Francois knew Ice Cream was his... mother? Oh, wait, was that why the two had a falling out while they were traveling? Was that when the Novice found out? Well, that was good. Huzzah for Ice's rambles back at the tavern, Arno thought, forcing himself to eat. He should have listened more to the man's stories.

Axe lent over from his chair opposite, elbow on a knee, pointing directly at Arno, “When I accepted 'Cream into the Brotherhood it was not because of his body, it was because of his skills, expertise and I knew I could trust him. Must admit the phantom blade can't be in better hands, if you'll pardon the pun.”

Arno continued to chew on his well needed meal.

“Did he, er...,” Axe said returning to sharpening his axe with a gritted pebble, “Did he mention anything else to ya'?”

Arno fought to try and make sense of everything. The memory of Ice Cream smiling and saying 'this time' flashed his mind.

“Perhaps...?”

“He told you 'e were pregnant?”

Arno froze mid chew, staring. He narrowed his eyes to make sure he understood the words his leader just said.

"Come...come again?"

"Ya' know," Axe said waving a hand out, "...bun in the oven, up the duff, in the family way-"

Arno coughed around his bread as he had accidentally breathed some in. He put it down onto a side table and raised his eyebrows again.

"He's pregnant with Consus you mean?"

"Nah, Consus doesn't reincarnate himself. Consus is only in the blood, he's a passenger. He won't harm the baby. "

Arno blinked as the pieces fell into place like a well made jigsaw that he only now could see fully. Of Ice Cream gazing at the painting of Salmacis and Hermaphroditus in the tomb, of Axe telling him the Assassin wasn't like other men. Of Francois changed behavior towards the ginger during their time traveling in the forest and of the bloodied moss he had found. Or why indeed the man carried moss in the first place. All this glued together with Ice Cream's confession before he had blacked out from hunger.

"And that's how he travels down the family tree?"

"Like a parasite."

“...Consus is absurd,” Arno mumbled.

“No, this War with half of Europe is absurd,” Axe said throwing him a copy of the latest newspaper Green Coat had stolen. Arno cast his eyes to the heading and read of France declaring all out War with Austria, Prussia, Ireland, Switzerland and Britain. He didn't read past the next column in the long list of countries France had set it's eyes on.

“So that's why you broke Green Coat's nose?” Arno said, folding the top of the newspaper down and peering over it.

“My way of congratulating the father,” Axe smiled broadly, admiring his battered knuckles.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Pardon late updating, work commitments got rather hectic.
> 
> History Note: More information on the historical site of Masyaf: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masyaf  
> From Wikipedia: The Latin word lacus means "opening, hole, pool, lake," and was also the word for a distribution point in the public water supply of ancient Rome.  
> ~
> 
> Wings- I cannot tell you how long myself and my co-author (Moon) struggled with the idea of Ice Cream falling pregnant. 
> 
> Very early on, and for the future story arcs, we felt it would be an interesting aspect to throw the four men into a sudden pregnancy to see their reactions. We both wanted to see how their perceptions of War, Revolution and, indeed, being an Assassin changed upon having the responsibility of a very young child put upon them.
> 
> The inspiration for this was that I personally found Altair's change of mind (after AC1) very telling the moment he had children. Frederic went through this change, as did Camille, but to really bring it home I felt one of the four men needed to have a child at the worst possible moment imaginable.
> 
> People during the French Revolution didn't stop having children. Revolution excitement in the early days quickly slipped away when Starvation and War ravaged France in the 1790s, until the climax and horror of The Terror began to take hold.
> 
> I spoke with my co-author that there needed to be a pregnancy within the character's circle very early on. Camille's pregnancy was one outlet where we tried, but both myself and co-author felt she and Frederic weren't within the core circle of characters.
> 
> Arno was our first choice but lacking a character he could believably have a child with was proving challenging. The AC Unity character of Elise has been alluded too but not in a way that, if she was to suddenly show up, would convince the reader to care in the space of a few chapters.
> 
> We next discussed that Axe was a potential for this outlet as already, pre-story, he has the experience of raising a child in troubling times. But the problem we found was that his daughter is currently not present in the story. We could bring her into the main plot, but after a few re-writes, we found it just wasn't working. 
> 
> Thus we agreed once more that one of the four men needed to actually have a child during the current plot.
> 
> Green Coat was the next to go through this re-write but, due to his personality, we both felt it would be out of character for him to actually go through with conceiving a child that wasn't with the person he loved; Ice Cream. After a while of researching, we found evidence of intersex individuals giving birth. Throw into the mix Ice Cream's personality and how this would effect his relationship with Green Coat during a point in history where food was now becoming a major issue, we felt he would be a suitable candidate. 
> 
> And thus we had our answer.


	45. The Great Devide

~

Arno crouched on the pinnacle portion of the Assassin Royal HQ'S square roof, sharply, yet quietly, blowing his nose with a linen handkerchief. "Bloody hell, it ain't half chilly," he mumbled to himself as he put the snotty rag away in a coat pocket and sniffed. The night air was crisp and bitterly cold, which was making his nose run non-stop and throat sting. What month was this? December? January? Did they miss Christmas? He blinked, hoping he wasn't coming down with a cold and thanking who ever made his uniform, as it kept his chest warm enough not to worry about other parts of his anatomy freezing. Arno snorted, pulling the hood over his head. The outfit he was wearing, while still Assassin appearing, was made by tailors sympathetic to the Templar Order. Hence the absence of a sash. Ironic. He continued taking sentry duty while the other's slept inside the building-

"What good would shipping me off to the countryside be, you great oaf?! So Consus can have a merry jaunt?!"

Or rather, some of them tried to sleep.

"Because you two can't keep it in ya' soddin' trousers!"

Arno purposely breathed out a long and hot breath, waiting for Ice Cream and Axe's argument to stop echoing up from the floors below. He watched as his breath formed into a thin mist cloud in front of him and then dispersed.

He chewed his top lip.

After the revelation of Ice Cream's situation had more or less calmed down as much as it could within five earthly hours, the men had continued on their plan of preparing for their long journey to Masyaf in Syria. Everything was now near enough prepped. It was just a matter of when they were to actually leave. Briefing was to happen first thing in the morning with a map and visual of where they were going. But in truth, Arno wanted to leave now. Why did they have to wait until sun up? Darkness was a great cover for sneaking out of the HQ. Time was running short; what was to stop another attack from the Templars using normal or super natural powers on them before dawn broke? Well, at least the Assassins had the Lion and it's jewels.

Arno breathed out, watching his misty breath rise once again from his mouth with trepidation that tiny red eyes weren't part of it. He rubbed his itchy nose. No, he knew why they weren't moving right this second. They were all suffering from extreme exhaustion and increasing hunger. They had to rest for twenty-four hours, recover and plan. Arno wanted to argue that they had been stuck in this building for over a week which was plenty of time to rest. But under those excuses Axe had put upon them...they were all dancing around the real reason. No one wanted to mention the unplanned pregnancy and the now massive consequences it was to have to, not just to the parents-to-be, but to a group of Assassins on a dangerous mission.

There was movement far off in the gardens.

Arno flicked his eye over to the side to see a small fox trot across the grass of the main gardens, over to the rubble of the tent village, looking for scraps of food no doubt. Stains of blood still clung to the ground from the attack, the tarpaulin of tents left flapping in the breeze. They had buried or burned the dead but left the tents where they were. For if any Templar recon unit was to view the HQ, at a distance, it would appear as nothing had changed from the catastrophe and assumed unchecked fire. Not, in fact, from the controlled fires of pyres.

Arno felt his patience oddly being tested as his stomach sharply lurched with hot sickness from hunger, as the fox found nothing to consume either and ran off back into the bush.

Food was now starting to create pressure on the group. Tonight was the first time they were all to go without dinner. Needed it for tomorrow's breakfast, Axe had said...for all the nutritional good dried fish and the odd half rotten apple would do. In some regards, Arno had felt like the hardships of the French Revolution wasn't part of their world. Sure, they were living in it, but with newspapers reporting that hundreds were now starving to death in the north, they had so far had full bellies daily. It was as if such things were not happening in the world of Assassins and Templars.

Like a pregnancy.

The Revolution and Ice Cream's baby were just these slightly annoying things that were happening at the fringes of their Assassin vs Templar world. But both were only problems that were going to get worse. Axe had let off all his physical steam out onto a stunned Green Coat and was now in the part of dealing with the planning of a mission with a newborn into a world of unknowns. While a battered Green Coat hid in his room, recovering from the assault and implied guilt for impregnating a team mate. Arno had assumed the two parental Assassins involved had come to a pleasant understanding. They were in love after all...until he heard Ice Cream uncharacteristically bellow at someone unknown that he was pregnant and not an fucking invalid.

Arno rubbed his itchy nose again, his throat feeling like sand paper the longer he stayed outside in the night air.

Ice Cream was a hell of a lot more prone to shouting these days...

The other remaining souls in the building of Alexina, Mrs Breton and Francois, he assumed, were told the reason for the commotion and Green Coat's broken nose. But he'd heard nothing to confirm this. Best to keep his mouth shut and not put his foot in, Arno mused, for after finishing his talk with Axe and processing the information that Ice Cream was intersex and had a bun in the oven...he had focused on very much being out of the way of all the Assassins involved by volunteering to keep sentry on the roof.

Silence ruled for the next half an hour. With Arno watching that fox dart back out from the bushes and visit every tent it could, stopping to sniff and scratch at the ground, ears twitching. Arno thanked the beast for it's presence as any ambush would be noticed quicker by animals than himself.

His thoughts went to tomorrow's briefing.

Arno had a rough plan in his head for what Axe's orders were most likely to be; Ice Cream would come with them until he gave birth. If he survived the birth. Arno shuddered when he remembered on his way up here he saw Ice Cream drop a handful of books while exiting the library. He had run up to him and helped to pick up the books and saw among the midwife literature a small book on Emergency Last Will and Testament Laws. That was the only contact he had with the ginger since the revelation. They said nothing on the subject, with polite smiles, and Arno had continued on his way to the roof. Arno coughed. He assumed next the Assassins would break their mission to secure the ginger when his waters broke in an unknown location, far away from the perils of what the Lion and it's Diamonds had in store for them. And the Mist Monster. But there was just one fact that messed this plan up; Consus resided in Ice Cream now. And they needed him for the mission and end game.

Arno sighed again that they couldn't just have Consus jump back into Green Coat so Ice could have his baby away from this coming shit-storm.

"Oh, this day just gets better," he said sarcastically to himself as a bead of liquid quickly escaped a nostril and he jerked a hand up to stop it, "I suppose a cold would round things off in this drama."

Most likely, he imagined, the Syrian Brotherhood of Assassins would take the baby in until the parents were ready to return to France. What was to happen to Green Coat during all this was a lot more cut and dry. He would remain on the mission no matter what happened. They had to secure any Pieces of Eden, as was their mandate. And all Assassins were bound by the rules of the Creed. Camille leaving her post as an Assassin to have Germain was evidence of what happened. Arno frowned. Who was this Brother that was currently at Masyaf? He said there were multiple statues under the castle? Or what was left of the fortress. Axe had sent him there a year ago? And what of Frank, his ex-Templar mentor, who had it in for Ice Cream and Green Coat?

And where was the Mist Monster now?

Or Mirabeau?

Arno swallowed, trying to subdue a second hot gurgle of hunger in his stomach at the unanswered questions in his head. So many confusing secrets surrounding him. But his view on the ginger haired Assassin didn't change much upon learning he was intersex. Only that he didn't know why he had not cottoned on to something in all the time he had been with the group. Although he did clock the lock picker had very curved hips for a man-

"Room for one more?"

Arno flinched. Bollocks, he hadn't realized someone was behind him.

"Sure, Ice. Pull up a pew."

Ice Cream came and sat next to him near the edge of the roof, legs over the side, boots resting on the open guttering pipe.

Arno nodded and the two Assassins fell silent as Ice Cream began to unwind his sash until it was free from his body.

"Thank you for helping me outside the library," Ice Cream said to which Arno nodded and replied that it was no problem.

Arno chewed his lip at the long awkward silence that followed, noticing out of the corner of his eye Ice Cream wrapping the red material again over his stomach, re positioning it. Questions and small talk sloshed around in his hunger-fuzzed mind but Arno didn't need to worry as he was not the first to engage.

"I didn't keep it a secret...," Ice Cream began slowly, knowing Arno had noticed his action as he tied the knot at the back, pulling some extra fabric up over his abdomen.

"Never said you did," Arno replied, watching the fox appear again with two cubs in toe and trot across the garden and away out of sight. Arno wasn't sure if Ice meant being intersex or pregnant, "It's your body. You don't need to inform me of anything."

Silence.

"Although I do have," Arno coughed wiping his nose again, "some incredibly intrusive and personal questions brought on by curio-"

"You want to know if I have a dick?" Ice Cream said deadpan.

Arno laughed.

Ice Cream snorted with laughter too, glad the tension had lightened, "Ask away, Arno. I've heard it all before."

"How do you two come to have baby?" Arno asked, watching the two cubs squabble over a leg bone he dearly hoped was not human.

"How anyone does."

"Making love?"

"You put it so romantically, heh. I'm female internally. So the usual way."

"I thought you said you had a penis?" Arno asked turning his head to the other man.

"Did have but it didn't work. It was more for decoration than anything. I've been told it might have even been an enlarged clitoris."

"What's that?"

"A clitoris?" Ice Cream asked.

"Yes," Arno said, frowning at the ginger, "I've never heard of that word."

"....Arno...," the taller Assassin began, scratching at a side-burn, "...pardon me for asking, but are you a virgin?"

"Thought that was public knowledge back at Axe's party," Arno said with a smirk, gazing back to the foxes in the garden.

"Oh, yes I remember now," Ice Cream said then added, "Well, let's just say, make the clitoris your goal when making love to a woman and see the results."

"Either you talk from experience or I'm going to assume you've slept with women to come by this knowledge?"

"Attempted too," Ice Cream said, eyes looking back into the past, "Wasn't very good at it."

"You being a ladies man, Ice Cream? Didn't think that was in your repertoire," Arno smirked teasingly, "...so did any of them find out about...?" he tailed off not knowing how to politely refer to the Assassin's reproductive organs.

"At Axe's old farm, you know I said I worked there? Well, once...," Ice Cream began to reminisce, "...there was this insane milk maid from the farm opposite who took a fancy to me and then umbrage at the fact I demanded to keep my clothes on during sex."

"You got off with her?" Arno laughed, an eyebrow raised as he un-clipped a hip flask of water at his side and took a swig, trying to stop his stomach ache. God, his mouth was dry.

"We fumbled," the Lock Picker made at face at, "I was twenty and...wanted to form a new identity, as it were. Wasn't happy with my old one."

Arno nodded, knowing he meant being Iris.

"She had a great time by all accounts," Ice Cream continued, eyes off to the side in thought, "...according to rumors going round two days later...I was the best she'd ever had...sadly, I felt nothing for her."

"Thought you said your dick didn't work?" Arno said, swallowing the water and offering the flask to the other man.

"Who said I used my dick?" Ice Cream smiled devilishly, taking it from him and drinking too.

"Alright, I'll take that advice," Arno scoffed then frowned as another question came to him, "What happened to her?"

"I prepared a speech to let her down gently," Ice Cream said, finishing his drink with a 'ah' and returned the half full metal flask to Arno, "...that I wasn't what she was looking for. I need not have worried. Found out a week later the Lord of the Land had proposed to her the very day after our escapades."

"Dodged a bullet there, mate," Arno said and took another drink before asking his next question, "...you have testicles?"

"Un-descended," the tall Assassin replied.

"Un-descended?"

"Oui, or, again, so I've been told. I've been probed and poked by so many doctors over the years, half of them say I have no balls and the other half say I have."

"You're shagging Green Coat, of course you do."

Ice Cream looked startled before he barked out a loud laugh, putting a hand over his mouth while his humor subsided.

"Couldn't resist," Arno smirked, offering the flask back to Ice Cream who politely shook his head.

There was a comfortable silence as an owl hooted in the distance.

"You said," Arno began with slight trepidation, "That my Ex-Mentor took your honor?"

Ice Cream nodded.

"Is that what I think that means?"

"He...," Ice Cream began, until a brief darkened shadow passed over his eyes, "Took away my decorative feature. As I did one of his ears. And as you did part of his cheek."

Arno nodded thoughtfully, drinking again saying, "cheers to that".

They were silent again until Arno rubbed his cold nose with a thick glove.

"So how to do you pee?"

"Into the toilet," Ice Cream began laughing before adding, "I know what you're asking. When my manhood was taken, it didn't affect that. Again, I'm more female internally. So how women do."

"...and how far along are you with...?" Arno asked, still wiping his running nose, observing the grounds for human figures.

"Three months," Ice replied, observing also, "...give or take."

"And all this time, it never crossed your mind?"

"It did, Arno, believe me. I was even taking precautions on the slim chance that I was fertile..." Ice Cream said with a stern face before it turned sad, "Do you remember when I stopped our carriage to forage in the bushes for something? Or better yet, that stall owner Christophe, I bought roots from?"

"Yeah?" Arno said slowly, a blurred memory of Ice Cream hunting in the bushes and muttering he was 'probably too old' combined with Christophe the stall owner saying he was moving away and giving Ice Cream two items.

"There is a root, Arno, that stops life from taking hold. Women chew on it and they don't have to worry...with so much going on, I ran out and kept putting it to the back of my mind to get more. I even started to convince myself I was barren due to age. Then the sickness came. I ignored it as time would tell me either way. That maggot bread was foul so I put it down to that making me ill. But I kept on vomiting...and this time I...with all this going on with the Lion..."

"Do you want it?"

Ice Cream stared at Arno's blunt yet honest question. He blinked and looked away with a swallow for a long time before hardening his face.

"An Assassin would say nothing would compromise his goal of completing his mission."

"That's not what I asked," Arno smiled kindly.

"I would be lying if I said no."

Arno smiled with a reassuring nod.

"You and Green Coat will make great parents."

The lock picker nodded back, biting his lip. He looked away, exhaling a deep misty breath, before slapping a gloved hand down gratefully on top of Arno's, squeezing and letting go.

There was a comfortable silence in the air before Ice Cream got a hold of himself and spoke.

"But it feels different than when I had Francois."

"Different?"

"Could be shock, " Ice Cream said nonchalantly and quietly still looking away, "Being chased by Templars on that carriage, thrown over a cliff and down into rapids. Not to mention all the shenanigans in the tomb is enough to make anyone queasy."

Arno started laughing.

"Why are you laughing?" the ginger asked, with a perky smile.

"You," Arno said still chuckling, "The word shenanigans for nearly being drowned in a booby trap. Wouldn't be my choice of terminology."

Ice Cream found the humor and chuckled to himself.

"Or Consus," Arno continued, off the cuff and more bluntly then he had wanted, "That could make you feel different, lugging him around."

"You were the one that knew first, am I right?" Ice Cream asked softly, "Axe said you told him my eyes turned yellow and I spoke in tongues?"

"Yes and you, i.e. Consus, said Salmacis was free and-"

"Looking for Juno, her teacher."

Arno nodded slowly.

"Do you know who that is, Arno?"

"Not the foggiest."

"Axe does," Ice Cream continued hauntingly, "Something that Italian Assassin, Ezio, said in his memoirs... he mentioned a being called Juno. I don't know who she is. But Ezio's writings says that she's a dangerous First Civilization individual who...I'm not sure what makes her so. But if Consus said through me that Salmacis is looking for Juno and we need to stop her..."

"As it can't be good why she wants too or how the hell that fits into what's been going on with the lion," Arno added, still watching that fox and her two cubs dash suddenly away into the bushes after a terrified rabbit before he scoffed, "Is it me, or am I starting to feel like a pawn in what ever family spat these ancient beings have? And what has that Mist Creature got to do with anything; is that Salmacis? Or Hermaphroditus? Or is the lion statue helping or hindering us?"

"Green Coat's terrified of the lion," Ice Cream said in thought, arms crossed over his stomach, hands under armpits to keep the warmth in, "...that much I know."

"We all are. Which reminds me..."

"Hmm?"

"What killed Frederic?"

"The Mist," Ice Cream blinked in confusion.

"No, that's not what I meant," Arno said turning to face Ice Cream more, "What did he die of? A stab to the chest or a hit to the head?"

Ice Cream continued to sport a confused face.

"When I found him," Arno continued, "...his back was slumped against the back wall, blood behind him from where he slid down and he was smiling, Ice. Smiling. Why?"

"That's the part that haunts myself and Green...personally I think his last thoughts were of Camille and Germain being safe. Axe said Frederic and Mirabeau had sent them away. He knew what was going to happen."

"So what's happened to Mirabeau?" Arno asked frowning, "We've not heard from him in a while."

"If I had the answers Arno, I'd happily give them to you," Ice Cream said softly.

"If Frederic knew what was going to happen," Arno said leaning forwards in a whisper now, "Why didn't he warn everyone? Why did everyone die? He could have said that something ethereal was going to come out of that statue and not have entire Brotherhoods wiped out. Why didn't he say anything?"

"What are you getting at Arno?" Ice Cream said still confused.

The Ex-Templar tapped a finger on his knee absentmindedly.

"...I kept thinking Frederic had to be a Templar agent in secret. But it's not adding up," Arno mumbled to himself, "Neither is the fact he helped lay a trap for Frank, you remember when we had to ride away on horses over a month ago to the fountain? Templars never set each other up, unless we know without a shadow of a doubt the other is a spy. It's like Frederic was playing both sides off the other."

"I don't think we'll ever know," Ice Cream said, "Frederic took that with him to the grave."

"Camille would know something," Arno said more harshly that he wanted. Damn it, he needed to eat soon.

"Arno, she's devastated he's gone," the ginger said, knowing what Arno was getting at, "what ever it was Frederic was doing and not telling us, I'm sure he never told her either."

Arno growled to himself and looked away.

"Your death is my life," Ice cream said, "...that is what he said the Lion told him-"

"He said," Arno countered, "...and how trust worthy is that?"

"About as trust worthy as anything else these days," a snarl of a hoarse voice came from behind them.

Both Arno and Ice Cream looked over their shoulders to see a exhausted and beaten up Green Coat walking towards them across the tiles.

~

"Get back inside, Ice," Green Coat said sharply to his partner, dark eyes never leaving Arno's.

"Well, I'm glad you're here as I want to ask something of Arno-" Ice Cream began calmly, after an awkward pause. But it was cut short.

" _Get back inside_ , Green Coat?" Arno repeated, meeting that glare with an eyebrow cocked.

"Shut your face," Green Coat spat.

"Green, I want to say," Ice Cream's voice increased in volume-

"And how exactly does one go about shutting one's face?" Arno added over Ice Cream's voice, not backing down, "Wait, isn't that what Axe did to your face?"

The battered Assassin growled and took an aggressive step towards his peer-

"Arno, I want you to be God Father."

Both twenty two year olds stopped arguing and gawked at the sitting Assassin.

"W-what?!" Green Coat stuttered, his voice breaking more easily since Axe's beating.

"...It will be an honor, mon ami, " Arno said, drinking from his flask again, thinking quickly.

There was a strained pause as Green Coat stared at the alcoholic hip flask in Arno's hands then at Ice Cream.

"Did you drink any?" Green Coat shot accusingly at his partner.

"It's water," Arno stated.

"I said shut your face, Templar!"

"Christ the Light, man!" Arno shouted, "calm down before your anger let's the whole bloody Templar Order know this building isn't empty!"

"Don't you order me around, shit stain- hey w-wait, Ice, what are you doing?"

"Returning to my room," Ice Cream finally said as he slowly got up, "As you should to yours."

Arno watched the implication dawn on the younger Assassin's face as, while they had both been arguing, Ice Cream had gotten up and started to climb over the edge of the roof.

"Y-you need to use the stairs-" Green Coat stuttered at the implication that they were suddenly in separate rooms.

"Why, I came up this way?" Ice Cream said starting to maneuver downwards.

Arno wisely kept his mouth shut as he watched the couple argue.

"What if you fall?" the younger man said, darting forwards to assist.

Ice Cream looked up at his lover from his position hanging off the guttering and then smiled with a gentle nod.

"For the second time, I've told you; I'm pregnant, not infirm. Have a good evening and run along," then with a nod to the other man, "You too, Arno."

Arno nodded from where he sat, holding up the canteen in acknowledgement.

Green Coat shut his mouth as Ice Cream began his decent downwards. He watched the ginger carefully and made sure he got into the top floor window safely before he turned to Arno. The lock smith Assassin shot his peer a filthy glare from under this shoulder length hair.

"Yes, run along, Green Coat," Arno said, wiping his running nose again with the back of a hand and unscrewing the top of the flask, "Besides, didn't your mother tell you it's rude to eves drop?"

The angry man started his climb down, ignoring the jibes, but just before his head disappeared over the side Arno smirked and shot a good night parting.

"Enjoy your new room."

Green Coat suddenly hauled himself back up with a grunt and smacked the flask straight out of Arno's hand so fast the man didn't have time to react as water spurted over him. The two Assassins stared at each other as the drinking vessel sailed downwards, hitting a lower balcony and clattering onto the ground with a dull and empty echo.

"Fuck you, virgin," Green Coat sneered.

Arno, his hand still curved around air, the cap of the flask in his fingers, and chest wet from the spillage, stared at the man before Green Coat's frame lowered and finally left.

"God, I hope you fall off a cliff," Arno muttered under his breath as he flexed his fingers out of the empty grasp, pocketed the cap, brushed himself down and continued to keep sentry.

The journey to Syria was going to be a damn long one.

~

Ice Cream landed with soft thud on the balcony and entered the window to his room. He began to unwind his sash before pausing as a metal canister smacked into the railing behind him and over the side to the ground below. He stared at it until a shadow moved down and landed on the balcony too.

"Please don't do that again," Green Coat breathed as he swung in from the window behind Ice Cream, "Or I'll have a heart attack."

"Why are you still bullying Arno?"

"What?"

"You," Ice Cream said with a hard voice, not turning to face him, still concentrating on unwinding his sash, "You're acting like a child that got shown up at the school fate."

The younger man paused as he closed the window behind him.

"He's a threat-"

"How many times are we going to go over this? He knows," Ice Cream said, slamming his folded sash down on the side table, "I'm intersex. I wish you were there to witness his reaction. Arno was understanding and patient. I trust him."

"Well, I don't."

"Then that means you don't trust my judgment," the Lock Picker stated, finally shrugging off his outer uniform and draping it over a wooden chair by the bed.

"What, of course I do," the younger retorted, standing in the middle of the room, watching Ice Cream prepare for bed, "don't talk stupid."

"Then trust me when I say Arno's not a threat."

"How can I when you don't even trust me?"

"Huh?"

"Why didn't you tell me your were pregnant?"

"My goodness, Vincent," Ice Cream huffed, grabbing at his copper braid as he walked across the room and yanked out the hair tie, "Stop turning it around to you. And how the hell could I tell you something I wasn't even sure of myself?"

"Because we're a couple," Green Coat nearly laughed with exasperation, as Ice Cream fully freed his hair from it's platted confines with the locks flowing in creative waves over his shoulders. Vincent watched as his partner went and sat down at a vanity table, take up a wooden hairbrush and start to brush harshly at those locks.

"We're meant to communicate, Ice, and..."

Green Coat moved to be behind a sitting Ice Cream, staring at the man's reflection in the mirror.

"How could you not know-?!"

"Drop it."

"Didn't you notice any changes?"-

"Aside from vomiting up rancid bread?"

"So why did you tell everyone you had gut worm?! I believed it"-

"I didn't say anything, Arno assumed I did-"

"But you must know how it feels to be carrying; you've been pregnant before!"-

"They were different back then!" Ice Cream suddenly shouted, slamming the wooden hair brush down on the counter and staring daggers at the Assassin's reflection.

The silence was incredible.

"They?" Green Coat said slowly, a ball of horror forming in his chest, "What do you mean by they?-"

"Nothing," Ice Cream quickly and forcibly said, closing his eyes and waving a hand out, "Slip of the tongue. That time, I meant. That. Time. That time was different back then. When I was carrying Francois," the lock picker continued, turning back in his chair like nothing had happened and brushing. But as he was not able to coordinate grooming his hair anymore, Ice Cream stood up and began putting physical space between them both. "Being a scared nineteen years old and pregnant as apposed to a thirty-seven year old Assassin."

Ice Cream walked over to the other side of the room, taking his boots off before he looked around at the silence to see Green Coat staring at him.

"Why are you staring at me?"

"That wasn't a slip of the tongue, Ice," Green Coat said slowly, "I know you."

"It was a slip, Vincent. I'm tired-"

"Just how many times have you been pregnant?"

Ice Cream, still with eyes locked on to his partner, dropped his boots to the floor, stepped back a couple of steps and yanked open the door to the room.

"Get out."

Green Coat stood rooted at the spot as Ice Cream locked onto his target.

"Do not make me repeat myself."

Green Coat weighed up his options. He saw that look in Ice Cream's eyes that said it was indeed not a slip of the tongue. But he knew what would happen if he pushed the elder man and didn't fancy having another Assassin assaulting his body with it already bruised from Axe's bashing. Green Coat clenched and unclenched his fists and willed his body to walk out of the room. As he did he turned to give his lover a look when the door was slammed shut in his face.

~

The twenty-two year old blinked hard and then opened his heavily circled eyes again, staring blankly at the hideously moldy and peeling golden wall paper in his new room. He absentmindedly massaged fingers against the side of his skull as he leaned on that hand, elbow digging against the chair's arm. The stench of infested rot in this room was horrid but he didn't care. Was just another thing to piss him off to the mountain of anger he was having a hard time dealing with. The humiliation of Arno parroting Ice Cream's 'run along' remark was eating away at him. All fueled by the sleep deprivation, hunger, this too-high-pitched-of-a-sound creaking chair, a smarting broken nose and the numbing sensation that he was going to be a father. Not to mention the paranoia that Consus was watching him from within his own skull. But it was Ice Cream's slip of the tongue that took center stage.

 _They_...

 _They_...

 _They_ were different back then?

Green Coat was curled up in his arm chair, the right leg squeaking as he did against the wooden floorboards. Shit, what time was it? The room was pitch black but he had been sat there for so long his night vision had developed quite nicely as the minutes went by. He heard a door shut downstairs and zeroed in on it. On a lower level was Ice Cream. They had been assigned the same quarters but he knew the man didn't want to share a bed with him. In truth, he was glad for the surprise separation for this evening. It gave both adults privacy and time to think about the gravity of the pregnancy not to mention their argument just now. And for Green Coat to have a serious sit down with his fucking temper.

Green Coat touched the thin plaster across the bridge of his nose. He was finding it difficult to breath through his nostrils which was to be expected with a broken nose. He felt liquid and looked at his fingertips, seeing blood. Vincent made a nose of frustration which came out more of a helpless whine and rested his head back in the chair.

If only he could sleep, it would help the pain.

He blinked and saw the ceiling was decorated with chard burns from the lightning attack, splashed across Biblical images and numerous fat cherubs that looked like ugly babies.

Suddenly Green Coat was struck with sharp wonder of how their own child would look like. Wait, was their baby a boy or a girl? Or both like Ice Cream? He didn't care. As long as the child and Ice Cream were healthy-

Another door closed down stairs.

Green Coat curled up more into his bruised body, pulling his coat around him. Oh, how he longed to hold him. To tell the lock picker everything would be alright. Ice Cream must be terrified, he thought, considering the man said he nearly died giving birth to Francois. He closed his eyes and imagined softly taking Ice Cream's hand, pulling him close and kissing him. Whispering how much he loved him and that he would protect him and their son or daughter. Everything was going to be alright. Everything. Green Coat felt the side of his hood hot with splatters of water falling down his cheeks at Arno's dancing words that Ice Cream had never said he loved him.

~

The dark carriage rolled away as the wheel chair bound Alexina waved to the gathered men. Francois waved from his position standing next to Ice Cream. The teen had done his best in looking after her but it was decided she needed to continue to recover away from the mission. An Assassin with a broken leg can't do much, for before she left; Alexina was presented with her red sash by Axe. She had cried and hugged each of them from her chair, while cheekily ridiculing Francois that she was indeed the better Assassin. He had smiled and laughed too at the joke. She was not to be put out to pasture, mind. Rather she would remain an Assassin but correspondence only. She would be the beacon for any other Assassins that were lucky enough to either escape the horror or who had missed it completely. Apart from the lone letters from the Syrian desert, no other Assassin's in Europe had made contact yet.

They lived in hope, however.

The four Assassins left, minus Francois, sat in the torn up library. Axe standing over a chalked map on the back of a wooden painting, pointing to the Mediterranean, across the desert and way points for them to rest. Ice Cream was sat nearest to the table, eyes focused on the white lines. To his left was all their equipment and bags. And an obviously over tired Green Coat sat across from him.

The lock smith couldn't stop gazing at his lock picker. The Assassin felt his heart beat faster when Ice Cream rested a hand on his stomach, talking about the mission with Axe. What was going through his mind, Green Coat wondered. Was he happy? Worried? Angry they were going to have a child?

 _They_.

Again that word stuck him in the gut and it dawned on Green Coat that Henri had had more of Ice Cream than he ever thought possible. Did Francois have brother and sisters? Or...were the pregnancies after Francois? That was impossible, Green Coat thought to himself. Ice was with Axe's family for all that time. And he highly doubted the brute would have let Ice Cream fall pregnant with some random. Unless he was forced.

Green Coat focused on his breathing through his mouth at the terrible thought Ice Cream might have been assaulted.

But, if so, by who? Axe was like a hawk on the man-

A cough came from his left and he narrowed his eyes at the blue coated man as his drunk tiredness and nose pain came down on him.

It was all that prick's fault.

Green Coat stared at that familiar pain in the ass Ex-Templar, focusing all the anger and rage of confusion at him. How could Ice Cream choose Arno to be their baby's God Father? What was wrong with Axe filling the role? The spiral of hatred dragged him down and down and the nihilistic Assassin welcomed it. Because of that twat his lover had broken his wrist falling over a waterfall and then having it trapped in the reigns of their horse. Having to worry if it would ever be as strong as it once was after an injury like that. Because of Arno, Ice Cream had been set back, and because of Arno his lover's former partner made contact with him. Because of Arno, they nearly all drowned in the Salmacis trap. Because of Arno, Frederic might still have been alive when they reached the building. And because of fucking Arno's impulsive actions outside of the crypt; Ice Cream had his head smashed in and nearly brained by Blue Hat.

He saw Ice Cream rub his stomach absentmindedly with a slight cringe.

Green Coat caught the action out the corner of his eye as Axe continued to waffle on. Why was his cringing? He watched, not listening to his leader, as Ice Cream smoothed the fabric of his coat over his stomach carefully. Green Coat felt his breath hitch when he saw that smile in Ice's eyes towards his belly. Where a tiny life was growing. Their baby. Wait, was it kicking? Was that why he was cringing? He didn't know at what stage that happened. How long had he been carrying? When did it happen? Which of their unions? Green Coat felt his face warm with deep affection, feeling his chest take deep breaths as he brushed against that warm feeling of pride for his lover. But it was damped by the sudden guilt that he had caused Ice Cream's condition.

God, he physically ached not being at the ginger's side. And the sever lack of sleep and food wasn't helping either.

"If we sail over the straight from Istanbul," Axe said, drawing with a stub of chalk on the map, "we have a clear shot through Turkey and then into Jordan and Syria."

"How will we afford the crossing?" Arno asked, sitting next to Ice Cream with arms folded, "That's going to cost a fortune if we can even get out of France. The boarders have been sealed if we're to believe the latest periodical."

"We're Assassins', lad. We'll find a way."

Green Coat let the scowl at Arno's voice and stupid question consume his face as a dark feeling began to well inside his soul that now Arno was more dangerous than ever to Ice Cream and their unborn child. The beast inside his chest purred as it awoke and peered curiously out of the inky bars of it's cage; black strands of hair falling in front of Green Coat's eyes. How dare Arno sit close to the ginger. He had tried tentatively to sit next to Ice Cream but Ice had gone to sit next to Arno. Whether it was because he knew Green Coat would keep away if he did so or not, the younger man didn't know. But it pissed him off, more and more, when he saw the seating arrangements.

"Camels, horses...I don't care," Axe continued to say with a cough, "we'll buy or steal some to get there. As for the boarder; a good old fashioned bribe will do."

Arno sensed someone was looking at him. He snapped his gaze up and was met with Green Coat's own boring into his from the other side of the map.

"By the time we arrive in Syria, the weather will have dropped," Ice Cream said, "Could we be facing floods?"

Arno could feel it. Just as sure as he could feel the sickness of hunger from not being able to eat yet. Twelve o'clock was the time they could access the rations Axe had stashed away. And Arno could feel that same feeling of patience running out as he stared back at the same tired challenge.

"Snow, of all things, will be our main hazard when we arrive at Masyaf. I know we are low on clothing," the tall leader said, "We shall accrue furs on our way. Ice, where's the Lion?"

"Here," Ice Cream said taking the leather tube out of a pocket and putting it on the map, "Diamonds are on the upper floors."

The two young Assassin's world dissolved until it was just the two of them.

"If all goes to plan," Axe continued, oblivious to the rising tension, "...and this is with the assumption Templars get wind of our plan...we shall reach Masyaf by next month or there after."

Ice Cream suddenly felt the tension in the room sharply rise and looked up, surprised Green Coat had not reacted to the calm appearing statue being placed in front of him. He slowly sat up in his chair at the glare between the two men.

"Any questions?" Axe said half heartily as he rubbed a chalk mark from the side and re-calculated his time estimates.

Both Assassins couldn't keep the contempt from their stares any longer as the anger spilled over in the silence.

Unfortunately, it was Green Coat who reacted first.

“You looking for a problem, Templar?”

Arno smirked.

“...I found you, didn't I?”

Green Coat didn't miss a beat as his couch screeched backwards against the floor. He drew his fist back as Arno lunged forwards before Axe jumped between the two, forcing them apart. But in doing so he knocked the lion and map sideways from off the table and onto the floor with a clatter and gasp from Ice Cream.

“HEY-HEY-HEY!!" The bearded Assassin instantly roared, separating them with force, a fist balled up in both the front of their coats "Knock it off! Both of ya'! What the hell has gotten into you, lads? You both been listening to a word I've said?!"

Ice Cream swallowed and excused himself.

"Calm down. What ever this piss poor barney you two got stops right now, you hear me?! Now! ” Axe stated loudly to the youngsters and then at Green, " 'ave you slept?"

Arno and Green stared each other down, over Axe's shoulders, with the latter growling under his breath. But Arno, at that moment, didn't care what Axe had to say. What ever this short arsed Assassin had against him wasn't going to fly any more. They were meant to be a team, for fuck's sake. They were about to go on a mission and their group needed to hold together better than they were now. Why couldn't Green Coat give up his act? He didn't cause Frederic's death, he knew of Ice Cream's double secret, knew the ginger was up the duff and said in plan language he wasn't a pawn of Frank's. So what the hell was up Green's ass now?

"Monsieur Axe, is everything alright?"

Axe cast a quick glance over at the quietly exiting member of the group and then at Francois who had poked his head around the door. Axe pushed more of his weight onto Green Coat. “Go sort your nose out, son, have Ice take a gander,” he said, pushing the other gently away nodding to the waiting elder man.

"Yes," Ice Cream said nodding to the door, "Come, Green."

Green Coat flicked his eyes between them both, wiped the side of a finger at his nose, saw the blood and scowled before relenting, jerking back from Axe's relaxed grip and yanking his scruffy emerald coat down before he turned away.

Arno felt the toxic anger and hunger still burning like lava as his stare bore through Green Coat's back. As he watched that bastard walk away, Arno couldn't resist one last glorious idea of a parting shot.

“Yes, run along, they said Vincent-”

Green Coat turned at frightening speed, like a man possessed.

It happened so quick that Arno didn't want to believe that he was staring down the barrel of a gun. There was a scream of "NO!" and a loud bang. The wall next to Arno's face exploded and he instinctively ducked, as he snapped his wrist back to engage his hidden blade. It took a few moments to realize that he wasn't armed. He turned to face the man but stopped as he saw Axe violently wrestling with Green Coat, who had pure murder in his eyes as he thrashed against the sure brute force of the elder Assassin.

“ **YOU BASTARD**!” Green Coat roared, struggling in Axe's and Francois grip as blood streamed down from his broken nose, and a smoking pistol clattered to the floor, “ **YOU KILLED FREDERIC! YOU FUCKING KILLED HIM! I KNOW IT! I WILL NEVER** **ACCEPT YOU INTO OUR GROUP! NEVER**!"

Axe tried his best to haul the ranting twenty two year old away down the hallway, with Francois trying to calm him down verbally, until finally they were out of sight.

Arno smirked triumphantly despite himself. Finally, he got one over on that bastard. In that moment not even Ice Cream's look bothered him. It wasn't until he turned and fully held eye contact with the ginger that he realized he hadn't just stepped over the line but fucking sailed across it.

A shell shocked Ice Cream stared at him.

There was silence.

"I didn't kill Frederic," Arno stated.

The Assassin continued to look at him.

“And I'm tired of his behavior,” Arno added, trying to stop the tall Assassin from looking at him that way, “What does he have against me?! Is anything I do right by his book?!”

Ice Cream finally broke eye contact as he slowly picked up the lion, the painful silence only making Arno more nervous and thus more angry.

“And we're meant to work as a team?!" Arno continued to protest, the shock of nearly being shot starting to take affect, "This entire thing is a farce!”

The elder Assassin said nothing as he bent down, picked up the smoking gun in his other hand and walked out of the room, shutting the door quietly.

Arno Victor Dorian scowled.

“Je m'en fou!” he swore at the room, kicking the side of a couch as he stormed towards a side door. Fuck them indeed, he thought, as he walked out the back door and into the deserted palace gardens, yanking his cowl down over his face, seeing a stray goat munching on something crunchy in the camp site. It was much later that his temper had calmed down and the full reality of Green Coat's actions, and his own, settled in. Watching the sun set from the top of a walled up garden he gathered his wits and returned to the library. He shouldn't have let his anger over take him. Shouldn't have let Green Coat get to him. He exhaled loudly as he took the front steps two at a time and entered into the hall. There was only one thing to do. Apologize. Again. And eat. They were all hurting. From the brotherhoods being destroyed to the death of one of their friends, the motive of the lion, Frank on their tail, to no sleep and no food. Steeling himself, he would go to Axe first. He took a deep breath and opened up the to the library door. Hopefully everyone had already spoken to and calmed down Green Co-

All their equipment was gone.

Arno felt panic rise in his throat. He blinked and forced it down. Sure he had over stepped the mark, but fear slowly began to grip him that the damage he had done was much more serious than he anticipated. He went into every apartment, every corridor. But he couldn't find them. Nor the lion or it's diamonds. The feeling in his gut becoming worse as the seconds wore on. Had they actually ditched him and gone on ahead? Did Axe side with Green Coat and Ice Cream? What about Francois?

"Mrs Breton?!" Arno shouted into the air. Nothing. Where where they? Where could they have gone? Wait, maybe there was a blood trail from Green's nose? He tried to find one but it was as if they all just vanished into thin air. How long ago had it happened? Two hours maybe? Did he have time to catch up with them? But which direction? Shit, he could't remember the route on the map. Damn it, even the bloody map was gone! Arno tore up to the roof. Maybe he could see them from there? When he reached the roof, he spun around trying with all his might to narrow down the path out they had taken. Nothing. Arno exhausted every trick in the Assassin and Templar handbook for tracking but finally drew a blank. Suddenly he was hit with a feeling of heavy isolation. Arno stopped turning around. He breathed in slowly, clenching his fists. Anger began to replace the fear.

Fine.

If they were going to walkout on him, side with a short assed loose cannon, then he would go about his business. The bugger tried to shoot him, for God's sake. He had shit to do. Templars to kill. Elise to find. And he didn't need that motley crew around him. Nor did he need a red belt to prove his prowess. And he certainly didn't have a heavy heart that his only friends had seemingly abandoned him as he found his own half rotten apple ration left behind on a side table.

~

"Get outta here, go on, sling 'ya hook!"

Arno grunted as he was shoved out of the tavern, watching as the fat pub owner slammed the door shut into his drunken face. At least all was not lost; he had not spilt the drink in his hand. It had been three weeks since the incident with the other Assassins. Three weeks since Green Coat had pulled a gun out on him. Three weeks of anger, pain, sadness, remorse and brutal hangovers. He had, by some small miracle, tracked down Alexina the next day on her way to Axe's farm to see if the others were with her. She shook her head and gasped when he told her what had happened. Alexina said she hadn't had any word from them but would send out feelers. Whether her intentions were true or not, Arno didn't know. Besides, he wasn't an Assassin...just some half French, half Austrian brat who thought he was. His thoughts went back to the first incident on the roof top with Green Coat. Neither of them had been armed, and the punishment Axe dealt out to them both...he never wanted to go through again. And Ice Cream... he doubted a quick power-fuck with Green Coat was going to sort out his punishment.

Maybe he should go hide in an attic.

Arno snorted into his drink as he sat down on the stone steps of some ransacked church. He was glad that he wouldn't have to put up with those two again. He had his own love life to take care of. Arno blinked sadly, seeing his uniform stained from last night's drunken miss adventure; a bar fight over a blonde woman he literally had no interest in. He felt his black diary still tucked close to his chest along with his broken pocket watch. Arno sighed, rubbing his face. Axe never did give him that red sash. Or oddly ask how he came to know Green Coat's true name.

And so it continued.

Another bar, another town and another night of heavy drinking for Arno Victor Dorian. It had been a solid month and one pitiful day since his separation from the other Assassins. But the man didn't care. Or at least tried not too. Maybe it was for the best they had left him behind. With a baby now due, Green Coat now had license to be even more aggressive towards him-

There was a loud and horrific cry from a woman off to his left. He cast his drunken eyes over from his table, having taken count of his last few coins, and saw the poor lady clutching a piece of paper to her breast and screaming about her son. Arno ordered his eyes to focus on the text as women crowded around her. It was a notification of execution dated two days ago. And according to her screeching she never knew he had been arrested let alone murdered.

Arno sighed and rubbed his eyes. He was more than glad he had not bumped into any one he knew-

"Oh my God, Arno, is that you?"

He looked up and blinked in the dim tavern light. He didn't recognize her- no wait...wasn't this the blonde haired girl that tried to get his attention which caused the bar fight in the last town?

"Arno?" she repeated.

"You again? 'o' are you?" Arno narrowed his eyes at her, "...don't owe you money, do I? Not in the mood for another brawl-"

"I'm Charlotte Corday, from the gathering," the blonde haired woman said from under her dark red hood. She quickly grabbed a stool and sat down opposite, terror in her eyes, "I tried to grab you in the last town. I need to know. How did you get away from the ambush?!"

" 'scuse me?"

"The others," she said, eyes searching his, "Axe, Green Coat, Ice Cream and the Novice. How did you escape, why aren't you trying to free them-?"

"H-hang on, love," Arno said putting a drunken hand up limply to stop her, leaning back in his chair, "Too many words are hittin' me. What are you on about? Freeing them?"

"You...you don't know they were arrested?"

" 'ey?"

"For trying to cross the boarder into Austria."

"Why 'ould crossing the boarder be a problem?"

"Do you not have any clue what's going on around you?" Charlotte asked ashen faced, "The boarders are shut. France is at War with literally everyone."

"What else's changed?" Arno remarked, taking another mouthful of booze, faintly remembering reading that the boarders were indeed closing, "Why are you bothering me? Go free them yourself."

"Because the guillotine is working around the clock and your team mates and my husband are in a heavily guarded prison that is overflowing. I need help. Before the prisons find out a way to keep the numbers down."

Arno paused, his throat burning from this cheap ass beer and head throbbing sharply. Shit, the journey to Syria. Masyaf. But they got arrested? They were Assassins, how was that possible? Assassins are a little bit more clever in evading the guards than you're adverage criminal, weren't they?

"What happened?" Arno swallowed, forcing himself to concentrate through the alcoholic haze.

"I received this a few days ago, came as quickly as I could."

Arno squinted at the yellow paper Charlotte brought out from her side pocket and saw the old cursive, if blurry, handwriting of Ice Cream asking any remaining Assassins to return to the HQ and give evidence of the mist fog's massacre. Along side it was a newer note signed from Alexina that Arno's team had gone awol.

"My God, Ice was right," Arno muttered, taking the letters between his fingers, "There were groups not at the HQ..."

"Is it true?" she pressed, "It was a fog from that statue that killed the Brotherhoods?"

"Apparently," Arno said, bringing the papers down and looking off to the side, desperately trying to blink some coherent thoughts to mind.

"So what happened to that man who owned the Lion?" Charlotte pressed.

"Ice?"

"No, the other man. The one who put the diamonds in before and showed us?"

"Frederic?"

"Oui, him."

Arno paused, rubbing his eyes with his thumbs.

"We found him. Dead against a mirror on an upper floor."

"Dead?"

"Look, what do you want?" Arno snapped, "I'm drunk, pissed off and constipated to boot. Where are your group?"

"North of here, trying not to starve," Charlotte said carefully with bitterness, "They sent me to get help. Arno, my husband was arrested with your team."

"Why was he with 'em?"

"Trying to give them safe passage to Austria. Help me free them, my husband Christophe and get the lion back."

Arno smelt something akin to gunpowder and looked down into his drink. Oh so that is why this brand was called 'La Revolution' as he saw small bits like grit at he bottom of this mug. The thought brought back the image of Green Coat firing a gun at him. Then a very clear image of the storming of the Bastille took over. The feeling of being part of a group, the friendship and bonds with the other men. The jokes, support and trying to out quote Ice Cream on smutty books. He missed that. Why did he have to called Green Coat by his true name? Why did the twat shoot at him?

"Would love to help you, but they made their message clear," Arno said, taking a drink of black peppered swill, "I'm no longer welcome."

The female Assassin frowned.

"What did you do?"

"What did I do?" Arno repeated, put his bottle down and pressed his index finger to the table, "I called Green by 'is real name and the bloke fired a pistol at me while accusing me of killin' Frederic. I did nothing of the sort, why 'ould I?"

"And they just left you?"

"Oui," Arno said, grabbing a second bottle to his side, topping up, "Packed up and fucked off."

Charlotte pulled the drink out of Arno's hand.

"You can drown yourself watching the Templars take over France with the Piece of Eden, or you can come with me to save your group and put an end to all this," Charlotte whispered nodding to the howling woman.

Arno stared, angry she had his bottle but something stirred within himself. He was drawn to her. He didn't know if it was her face, her body or the fact she was the only closest thing to a friend he had left in the world.

"You're a catch, you know that?" Arno said, eyes going from the bottle to her.

"Nice try," Charlotte said with a smirk at Arno's distraction technique, not giving him his drink back. "Besides you pine for someone else, am I right?"

Arno couldn't lie.

"Yes," he said quietly. He hadn't thought about Elise in a few days.

"Then you need to find her. As I do my husband."

"Christophe?"

"Oui."

A memory called to Arno.

"He doesn't happen to run a stall does he?"

"Yes, he does, why?" Charlotte asked, still with his drink in her hand.

"I met him once. Nice bloke. Sold roots?"

"Contraceptive roots? Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"

Arno knotted his brow. Ice Cream had been frightened of falling pregnant all along. Well, fat lot of good that did now-

"Gentle men of the establishment, if I may have your ears!"

Arno looked over from their table booth to see a man standing on a stool holing up a newspaper to the audience in the tavern. He saw Charlotte look over and he quickly nabbed his stolen bottle back.

"The King is to be guillotined!"

Gasps, cheers and murmurs erupted around them.

"This is what the Templars wanted," Charlotte said to herself then a bit louder to Arno, looking back at him, "Now they can step in and take over from the top down."

Arno finally cracked into his third drink, trying to ignore the ringing of Green Coat's scream at finding Frederic.

"Not interested."

Charlotte pulled a face of disgust. She stood up, yanked the drink harshly from his hands, threw the amber liquid into his face, and slammed the bottle onto the table.

"Then everything you've done up till now was in vain. Go home."

Arno was about to open his mouth when the crying woman screamed again. But he wasn't sure if it was in his head. Was that Green Coat screaming at finding Frederic? Or was that her? He couldn't tell, everything was spinning and confusing as hell. Suddenly he felt panic rising. Were the other's still in the prison or had they too been killed?

Arno took another glass of alcohol from the table next to him, studied it carefully and made up his mind. Before his companion could grab it from him, he splashed the alcohol into his face and nodded with determination at Charlotte.

"Which prison?"

~

Finding the correct prison that housed his group was easy as Charlotte already knew. Finding the optimal entry point wasn't. The grey building was tall and domineering, as was the prefered impression a venue of 'correction' gave off. It was loud, stank of human excrement and was heavily guarded. But both Assassins knew there were more prisoners than guards. After spending an hour trying to enter the swamped prison together, they split up.

Charlotte hid in the roof space, hunting her husband, while he was to enter through the front door as a guard and locate the others. And the Piece of Eden.

Arno stood in an alley way opposite and scanned for his best way in to nab a uniform. Maybe he would have better luck scouting from the roof top? But as luck would have it, he didn't have to choose as a guard came jogging into the alleyway from the prison, teeth chattering from obviously needing to piss. The man quickly found a spot, right next to a surprised Arno and unleashed against the brick wall with a pleasant sigh of relief. Arno allowed the man his relief, offered up prayers to the God of Decency and struck.

"Pardon, Monsieur," Arno offered as he elbowed the man in the face.

Arno dragged the body of the unconscious guard from his post to a cloth covered storehouse. He stripped the limp man down to his briefs and tied a gag made of cloth around the man's mouth, careful to let him still be able to breathe. Covering the guard with a couple of cloth sheets, Arno reckoned he's have about fifteen minutes before his victim woke up.

Arno moved, his limbs slightly stiff from the guard's stolen uniform that was just that bit too small for him and smelt faintly of urine if he concentrated. He scanned the area, letting his instincts reach out into the walls and beyond, hunting for Charlotte's husband as well as his team mates.

A slip of newspaper clipping nailed up onto a wall caught Arno's eye and he began to read.

**SEPTEMBER NOTICE**

**Guards are to note that prisoner standard numbers are to be disregarded. Populist opinion is that foreign nationals have infiltrated our prisons and are poised to be set free to reign terror upon the land and the good people of France. The National Assembly has decreed that unpatriotic members in the prison populist are to be carefully observed for delinquency and vice such as-**

"That red head's the one."

Arno snapped his head to the side.

"Ice," he breathed, hoping there were not many red headed prisoners. The young man made straight for the voice, walking quickly as he could, mindful of not drawing attention to himself as he rounded a corner and saw the scuffle.

Arno blinked, at a loss for words as he turned and saw in the farthest prison cell a tatty looking Green Coat quickly move in front of a barely dressed Ice Cream. A cold shiver ran down Arno's back. He couldn't hear what they were saying to the guards but... Ice Cream was glaring at the guard, his blue eyes almost on fire with rage from behind Green Coat's body.

"Get out here!" the guard demanded to Ice Cream which Green Coat responded with a well aimed kick.

Arno took a step forward and almost blew his cover right then and there as the taller guard grabbed a very pregnant Ice Cream by the hair and kicked Green Coat to the side. The other two guards descended on the younger man, forcing him to stay near the ground as Ice Cream was pulled out of the cell and the door slammed shut. Arno squinted and saw Axe was in the cell but where was Francois? The men in the adjoining prison cells hollared and jeered at the spectical. Arno kept still with the greatest of effort in his stolen guard uniform as the others marched the messy lock picker past him. Look this way. Arno thought fearlessly as they passed. Look. But the man didn't. His long copper hair was covering too much of his face to properly see anyone to the side.

Arno stared dumbfounded as he saw the guards haul Ice Cream off to the side and down the lit corridor, the man not struggling in the slightest now. He made a snap decision and followed. The guards took Ice Cream to an officer's desk that was out in the open corridor, making him stop infront of it.

"Ah," said the voice of the prison guard, from his sitting position at the old desk, "I thought it was you."

Arno stood to attention, back straight against the wall as a group of prison guards marched passed him with another prisoner.

"Iris the...what was it? Improbable? No, In-prisonable?

"You are correct on the latter, Monsieur," Ice Cream said smiling politely.

"Been trying to get you re-arrested for a while now. Historical that I know of your crimes of breaking and entering..." the head guard said, his voice not threatening, more tired and accepting, "I am bound by law to segregate you from the prison populist as you are at high risk of escaping. Although I see you still have your health condition from the last time we met?"

"Gut worm, Monsieur" Ice Cream said, nodding down to his swollen stomach, "Been fighting it for years. And the beer drinking habit."

"Pity, pity," the guard said nodding his head, tired again, consulting his notes, "You know, the only cell I have left is in the courtyard...it's not the most comfortable while you're processed, but as you can see we are clogged up here...I'm afraid I will have to shackle you too, mind. Is that alright?"

Arno didn't know head prison guards were this nice.

"Oui, Monsieur."

"Good man," the guard said and nodded to the two men holding Ice Cream, "You may let your hold on him go," then to Ice Cream, "Follow me, please."

~

Green Coat, with a new black eye yet mended nose, held his breath as he listened to the head guard talking to Ice Cream.

"Where are they talking him? What was that nickname?"

"To the Governor," a hairy Axe said from his stone step in the corner of the cell, right arm in a splinter. "And it's Iris the Imprison-able. They know each other, Green, I wouldn't worry. He won't be harmed."

"Wouldn't worry?" Green Coat screeched in a whisper at his mentor. "Have you looked around recently? We're in hell! Tell me, how do they know each other? What Iris the Imprison-able?"

"You mean to tell me Ice never told you he'd done prison time? And in here?"

"He's like you; doesn't tell me much," Green Coat mumbled, forehead still pressed against the cold iron bars before he pulled back and slammed an arm against them in a fit of rage.

"No sense breaking ya' bones out of frustration, lad." Axe said, picking at his beard with his good hand.

"Funny, I seem to remember you doing that exact same thing to me."

"You're a lock smith, son, can't ya' break it?" Axe rumbled to change the subject, pointing to the door of their cell.

"I can't or I would have by now," Green Coat hissed back, pointing to the metal block, "The lock is a 'Smitherson's'...I need two picks to get at it. Or the damn key."

"Ask and thou shalt receive."

Green Coat and Axe paused, before they looked up and blinked dumbfounded.

"Don't make a sound," Arno whispered as he turned and dropped the key into the cell.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Pardon the few months of non updating, I've been in a four month long interviewing process to work my dream job. (Exciting times as I got it!!)


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